Histamine levels in stored human blood

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Histamine is a key mediator in allergic and inflammatory responses.
• Understanding histamine levels in stored blood is crucial for patient safety during transfusions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify histamine levels in plasma from healthy donors, stored blood, and during transfusion.
• To investigate the relationship between blood storage duration and histamine accumulation.
• To explore the potential link between elevated histamine and transfusion reactions.

Main Methods:

• Radio-enzymatic assay was used to measure plasma histamine concentrations.
• Samples were collected from healthy blood donors, CPDA-stored blood (up to 28 days), and transfusion lines.
• Histamine levels were correlated with storage time and transfusion conditions.

Main Results:

• Healthy donors had a mean plasma histamine of 0.79 ng/ml.
• Histamine levels in CPDA-stored blood rose progressively, reaching 20.5 ng/ml at 28 days.
• Infused blood showed higher histamine levels than stored units, possibly due to warming during transfusion.

Conclusions:

• Histamine accumulation in stored blood increases exponentially over time.
• Elevated histamine levels in older blood units may contribute to or exacerbate transfusion reactions.
• The storage age of blood is a potential factor influencing transfusion reaction incidence.