The effects of polyvinyl chloride and polyolefin blood bags on red blood cells stored in a new additive solution.
OBJECTIVE
Red blood cells (RBCs) must be stored in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags plasticized with di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate or a similar plasticizer to achieve their full storage life with conventional storage solutions. Improved storage solutions might remove this requirement and allow blood storage in other plastics. Experimental Additive Solution-61 (EAS-61), which maintains RBCs for 9 weeks with reduced haemolysis and satisfactory 51Cr 24-h recovery, is an appropriate candidate improved RBC storage solution.


METHODS
Twenty-four units of packed RBCs were pooled in groups of four units, each pool was realiquoted into four units and stored, six pooled units per arm, in one of the following: 100 ml of EAS-61 in PVC; 200 ml of EAS-61 in PVC; 100 ml of EAS-61 in polyolefin (PO); and 200 ml of EAS-61 in PO. Haemolysis, RBC morphology indices, RBC ATP concentrations, and other measures of RBC metabolism and function were measured weekly.


RESULTS
RBC haemolysis exceeded 1% by 7 weeks in PO bags containing 100 ml or 200 ml of EAS-61. In PVC bags, haemolysis was less than 1% at 11 weeks. RBC ATP concentrations were 1 mol/g of haemoglobin (Hb) higher at 2 weeks in the PVC-stored units.


CONCLUSIONS
RBCs stored in PVC had markedly less haemolysis and higher RBC ATP concentrations than those stored in PO. Haemolysis would limit RBC storage in PO bags to a duration of 6 weeks, even with EAS-61.
Hill
H R
HR
Blood Research Detachment, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Oliver
C K
CK
Lippert
L E
LE
Greenwalt
T J
TJ
Hess
J R
JR
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000592:standards*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D011090:Polyenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019064:Product Packaging / Q000592:standards; D012996:Solutions / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D011090:Polyenes; D012996:Solutions; C035051:PL 732; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride