Influence of irradiation on in vitro red-blood-cell (RBC) storage variables of leucoreduced RBCs in additive solution PAGGS-M.

BACKGROUND

The effect of gamma irradiation on leucoreduced red-blood-cells (RBCs) stored in an additive solution (AS) containing phosphate, adenine, glucose, guanosine, saline and mannitol (PAGGS-M) has not yet been studied, and there are different recommendations about storage time of leucoreduced RBCs after irradiation.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We studied 63 leucoreduced RBC units. All RBCs were stored in AS PAGGS-M and leucoreduced on the collection day. Twenty-one components were irradiated on Day +14 with 30 Gy and 22 served as non-irradiated controls. Samples were drawn and analysed from these 43 units on Day +7, +14, +21, +28, +35, +42 and +49 from the collection day. From 20 units, no samples were taken earlier than on Day +49. Of these, 10 components had been irradiated on Day +14 with 30 Gy and 10 served as non-irradiated controls.

RESULTS

Gamma irradiation induced an enhanced in vitro haemolysis rate in the irradiated components. One of the irradiated units showed a haemolysis rate over the recommended limit of 0·8% on Day +42 and four on Day +49. The leakage of potassium ions from irradiated RBCs started to increase faster than that of unirradiated RBCs from the day of irradiation. Lactate dehydrogenase levels increased faster in irradiated units 3 weeks after irradiation. We showed that taking samples weekly does not affect the final result.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show that the European recommendations should not be changed in regard to the limitation of the storageability after irradiation of leucoreduced RBCs. The damage after irradiation and storage cannot be prevented by using the high-quality AS PAGGS-M.