Pilot study of oxygen transport rate of banked red blood cells

Dynamic oximetry provides a new way to assess the effect of blood storage on the oxygen transport rate (OTR).

In dynamic oximetry, the rate at which oxyhemoglobin becomes deoxyhemoglobin is measured optically, thereby, indirectly measuring the rate at which oxygen leaves the red blood cell (RBC) making it available for transfer to tissues. Extending the physiologic diffusion time in an in vitro apparatus, consisting of a diffusion system and gas exchanger capable of controlling the surface area and the time of exposure for oxygenation and deoxygenation, makes OTR measurement feasible. Eight normal blood donor units, collected in adenine, dextrose, sorbitol, sodium chloride and mannitol , were stored for 8 weeks under standard conditions and serially sampled for OTR.

We report that the OTR at the time of blood bank donation appears to be singular for each donor, that the interdonor differences are maintained over time, and that the individual OTR increased 1.72-fold (95% CI 1.51, 1.95) over 8 weeks, adjusting for sex, age and plasma cholesterol level.

Oxygen transport rate increases during storage; blood units with similar haemoglobin content may have significant differences in OTR. Studies examining blood parameters at the time of donation and blood storage on patient outcomes should consider measuring OTR, as it may contribute to differences in observed efficacy of tissue oxygenation.