title: Effects of helicopter transport on red blood cell components.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no reported studies on whether a helicopter flight affects the quality and shelf-life of red blood cells stored in mannitol-adenine-phosphate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven days after donation, five aliquots of red blood cells from five donors were packed into an SS-BOX-110 container which can maintain the temperature inside the container between 2 °C and 6 °C with two frozen coolants. The temperature of an included dummy blood bag was monitored. After the box had been transported in a helicopter for 4 hours, the red blood cells were stored again and their quality evaluated at day 7 (just after the flight), 14, 21 and 42 after donation. Red blood cell quality was evaluated by measuring adenosine triphosphate, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, and supernatant potassium, as well as haematocrit, intracellular pH, glucose, supernatant haemoglobin, and haemolysis rate at the various time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the experiment the recorded temperature remained between 2 and 6 °C. All data from the red blood cells that had undergone helicopter transportation were the same as those from a control group of red blood cell samples 7 (just after the flight), 14, 21, and 42 days after the donation. Only supernatant Hb and haemolysis rate 42 days after the donation were slightly increased in the helicopter-transported group of red blood cell samples. All other parameters at 42 days after donation were the same in the two groups of red blood cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that red blood cells stored in mannitol-adenine-phosphate are not significantly affected by helicopter transportation. The differences in haemolysis by the end of storage were small and probably not of clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Asahikawa Red Cross Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan. tmek87@hotmail.co.jp
authors.forename: Taiichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akino
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: Hisami
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Shinzou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sumita
mesh_terms: D019794:2,3-Diphosphoglycerate / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000401:Aircraft; D001793:Blood Preservation; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D019794:2,3-Diphosphoglycerate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011188:Potassium