Improved myocardial performance following high 2-3 diphosphoglycerate red cell transfusions.

Twenty-two matched coronary bypass surgery (CABS) patients were randomly divided into two groups; 11 patients in the control group received CPD-stored or fresh blood (mean age, 5.5 days) containing 70 percent of normal 2-3 diphosphoglycerate (2-3 DPG) and 11 patients received 2-3 DPG-enriched previously frozen, washed, concentrated red cells (2-3 DPG 150 percent of normal). Coming off cardiopulmonary bypass, when given a volume load, the high 2-3 DPG patients had a significant increase in cardiac index (2.95 L. per minute vs. 2.18 L. per minute, p smaller than 0.001) at similar filling pressures. At this time body oxygen consumption, in vivo P50, red cell 2-3 DPG, and arterial-venous oxygen content difference were all increased, but P minus vo2 was normal. Improved oxygen delivery occurred without decreasing mixed venous oxygen tension. The results suggest that, with volume loading, function in the heart with coronary artery disease is limited in part by available oxygen. By decreasing oxygen affinity for hemoglobin by altering red blood cells biochemically, myocardial performance can be improved safely.