Immunologic changes after transfusion of autologous or allogeneic buffy coat-poor versus WBC-reduced blood transfusions in patients undergoing arthroplasty. II. Activation of T cells, macrophages, and cell-mediated lympholysis.
BACKGROUND
To estimate the impact of RBC preparations on the status of postoperative immune activation, the soluble cytokine receptors of TNFalpha (sTNF-R) and IL-2 (sIL-2R), as well as neopterin and cell-mediated lympholysis (CML), were measured.


METHODS
Patients undergoing strictly standardized anesthesiologic management for elective orthopedic surgery were enrolled in a prospective study. The perioperative course (Days 0, 3, 7, and 10) of sTNF-R, sIL-2R, neopterin, and CML was compared after random assignment to allogeneic buffy coat-reduced (Group 2, n = 8) or WBC-reduced (Group 3, n = 11) RBC transfusion regimen. Recipients of autologous buffy coat-reduced RBC transfusions (Group 1, n = 15) served as controls. Patients receiving intraoperatively and postoperatively salvaged blood only (n = 10) were separately analyzed as Group 4.


RESULTS
In Group 1, a short-lasting increase in soluble cytokine receptors, a diminished cytolytic response (Day 0 vs. Day 7: sTNF-R, p = 0.0001; sIL-2R, p = 0.0004; CML, p = 0. 0238), and an elevation of neopterin (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0064) were observed. In contrast, in allogeneically transfused patients, sTNF-R (Group 2, p = 0.0469: Group 3, p = 0.0039), sIL-2R (Group 3, p = 0.002) and neopterin (Group 3, p = 0.0164) increased further from baseline to Day 10 (Day 0 vs. Day 10), and this increase was accompanied by a diminished cytolytic response (Day 0 vs. Day 10: Group 2, p = 0.05; Group 3, p = 0.0076). Patients in Group 4 showed a short-lasting increase in sIL-2R (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0078), neopterin (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0156) and sTNF-R (Day 0 vs. Day 7: p = 0.0781).


CONCLUSIONS
Allogeneic transfusions seem to prolong the postoperative status of immune activation, even when WBC-filtered RBCs are used for the transfusion regimen.
Innerhofer
P
P
Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, The Leopold-Franzens University of Innsbruck, Austria. Petra.Innerhofer@uibk.ac.at
Tilz
G
G
Fuchs
D
D
Luz
G
G
Hobisch-Hagen
P
P
Schobersberger
W
W
Nussbaumer
W
W
Lochs
A
A
Irschick
E
E
D001178:Arthroplasty; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D006801:Humans; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D007519:Isoantigens