Effect of age and 2,3-DPG content of transfused blood on serum erythropoietin.

Serum erythropoietin has been measured before and after transfusion of blood stored in acid citrate dextrose for varying periods of time. A greater fall in erythropoietin was found following the transfusion of fresh blood than after an equal amount of stored blood in which 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations were depleted. This confirms that expectations that in vivo tissue oxygenation is influenced by the oxygen affinity of transfused blood.