Premium
Anti‐ K formation is not associated with the storage time of transfused red blood cells
Author(s) -
Hogervorst Esther,
Middelburg Rutger,
Brand Anneke,
Watering Leo,
Schonewille Henk
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/trf.12974
Subject(s) - confidence interval , blood units , medicine , blood transfusion , red blood cell , immunology , gastroenterology
Background The formation of red blood cell ( RBC ) antibodies could be enhanced by the presence of inflammation caused by prolonged RBC storage, as was shown in animal studies. The low occurrence (<10%) of K ‐antigen in most populations often enables identification of the K + RBC unit that triggered anti‐ K formation and determination of its storage time. This study aims to quantify the association of anti‐ K formation with RBC storage time. Study Design and Methods K − patients who had not been previously transfused and received at least 1 K + unit between J anuary 2004 and A ugust 2013 were identified. First, the influence of storage time of the K + units was assessed as mean, maximum, and minimum storage times within one transfusion interval and at various cutoff points for old versus young blood (14, 18, and 21 days). Second, concomitantly transfused K − units were studied within different periods surrounding the K + unit(s). Results Twenty‐three patients formed anti‐ K , while 274 patients did not. The adjusted relative risks of anti‐ K formation for mean, maximum, and minimum storage time (days) ranged from 1.01 to 1.03 (95% confidence interval, 0.96‐1.08). When analyzing the association between only “younger” and only “older” K + units at various cutoff points, no association was found. Similarly, no association was found between storage time of the concomitantly transfused K − units and anti‐ K formation. Conclusion Within the range of storage times used in normal clinical practice in the N etherlands, no association could be found between RBC storage time and anti‐ K formation.