Successful 0 degree C liquid preservation of red blood cells

In an effort to determine the lowest acceptable temperature for liquid preservation of red blood cells, the latter were stored at 5, 0, -2 and -5 degrees C. When polyvinylchloride (PVC) bags plasticized with di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) were used as containers, hemolysis of red cells stored for 42 days at 0 degree C was lower than at the other three temperatures. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, morphology scores, and deformability indices were also best maintained at 0 degree C, and erythrocyte osmotic fragility did not increase at that temperature. On the other hand, when blood was stored in glass bottles at 0 degree C, hemolysis and erythrocyte osmotic fragility increased. The addition of DEHP to red cells stored in glass bottles at 0 degree C decreased hemolysis and erythrocyte osmotic fragility to levels equal to those in PVC bags. Thus, storage of red cells can be done at temperatures as low as 0 degree C, if PVC bags are used as the container. Previous negative assessments of storage temperatures below 4 degrees C, may be due to the use of glass bottles as containers for blood preservation.