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Published on: January 2, 2013
IgA content of washed red blood cell concentrates
1Central Institute of Hungarian National Blood Transfusion Service, Budapest, Hungary.
Insights
Washing red blood cell (RBC) concentrates removes 99% of IgA and 75.3% of protein. Two sequential washes achieve low IgA levels, meeting European recommendations with 87.2% RBC recovery.
Area of Science:
- Transfusion Medicine
- Hematology
- Immunology
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) concentrates require processing to remove plasma components and reduce transfusion reactions.
- Immunoglobulin A (IgA) in RBC units is a concern for patients with IgA deficiency or anti-IgA antibodies.
- Leukocyte-depleted and washed RBCs are standard for specific patient populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the removal of IgA and total protein during saline washing of RBC concentrates.
- To assess the efficacy of sequential washing in meeting recommended IgA levels for transfusion.
- To evaluate the impact of washing on RBC recovery and supernatant quality.
Main Methods:
- Sequential dilution-centrifugation washing of RBC concentrates.
- Measurement of IgA and total protein concentrations before and after washing.
- Determination of RBC recovery rate and analysis of supernatant.
Main Results:
- The washing procedure eliminated 75.3% of total protein and 99% of IgA.
- Red blood cell recovery was 87.2% after the washing process.
- Two sequential washes reduced IgA levels below 0.2 mg/unit, meeting Council of Europe recommendations.
Conclusions:
- Sequential saline washing is highly effective in removing IgA and total protein from RBC concentrates.
- The procedure ensures IgA levels meet transfusion safety standards, particularly for at-risk patients.
- Washing offers additional benefits, including reduced levels of hemoglobin, waste products, and debris.
Abstract:
Saline-washed red blood cell (RBC) concentrates are largely depleted of leukocytes, microaggregates, and nearly of all plasma originally contained in the blood unit. Our aim was to determine the concentration of the eliminated IgA and total protein in the buffy coat and plasma removed RBC concentrate before and after a sequential dilution-centrifugation washing procedure, 75.3% protein, and 99% IgA were eliminated by the washing process used. The recovery of red blood cells was 87.2%. Our results have led to the conclusion that two sequential washings seem to guarantee an IgA level of less than 0.2 mg/unit to meet the recommendations of the Council of Europe. Additional advantages of washing include low levels of extracellular hemoglobin, metabolic waste products and debris in the supernatant.
