Mean remaining life span: a new clinically relevant parameter to assess the quality of transfused red blood cells

• DOI: 10.1111/trf.12562
• Publication Date: 2014-02-24T18:08:49Z
• Authors: Denison J. Kuruvilla; Demet Nalbant; John A. Widness; Peter Veng‐Pedersen
• Keywords: Life span

The quality of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) to treat anemia depends on its potential for oxygen delivery, governed by two properties: 1) initial posttransfusion recovery and 2) life span initially surviving RBCs. latter property is poorly evaluated the traditional mean (MPL) or cell age (MA), because these parameters do not evaluate how long RBCs remain in circulation. Furthermore, evaluation MPL based problematic assumptions regarding RBCs: they were produced at a constant steady-state rate have similar storage spans.This work introduces new parameter, remaining (MRL) quantify RBC survival (TRCS) presents simple algorithm evaluation. MRL was calculated four adult subjects with sickle disease diabetic nondiabetic using data sets existing TRCS parameters.The curves nonlinear rapid decline within first 5 days. approximately 4.6 Thus, indicative all For subjects, disappearance did deviate substantially from linear decline. estimates ranging 39 51 days are MA previously computed.MRL overcomes limitations proposed parameters, simpler calculate, physiologically clinically more appropriate.