Premium
A prospective trial of young red cells in 48 patients with transfusion‐dependent thalassaemia
Author(s) -
Marcus R. E.,
Wonke B.,
Bantock H. M.,
Thomas M. J. G.,
Parry E. S.,
Taite H.,
Huehns E. R.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1985.tb07396.x
Subject(s) - medicine , blood transfusion , red blood cell , prospective cohort study , population , red cell , randomized controlled trial , pediatrics , surgery , gastroenterology , environmental health
S ummary Young red cells (YRBC) prepared on a cell washer were compared to whole blood in a randomized prospective trial in 48 transfusion dependent patients with thalassaemia major. A minor but statistically significant decrease in blood consumption was observed in the group receiving YRBC. However, no difference was seen in transfusion interval, mean haemoglobin and rate of haemoglobin fall between the two groups. Filtered blood was shown to be as effective as frozen blood in eliminating non‐haemolytic febrile transfusion reactions in all the trial patients. We conclude that any reduction in the rate of iron loading brought about by the use of YRBC is clinically insignificant and does not justify the expense, time and work required to produce young red cells for use in a large transfusion dependent thalassaemic population.