Influence of prestorage leucocyte depletion and storage time on rheologic properties of erythrocyte concentrates

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rheological blood properties were studied during storage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood viscosity, erythrocyte morphology and ATP levels were determined in filtered samples (Leukotrap WB filter system) and their unfiltered counterparts during storage with saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAG-M) for 42 days. RESULTS: Prestorage leucocyte depletion decreased blood viscosity at a high shear rate and reduced the degree of anisocytosis of erythrocytes. During storage, erythrocytes underwent a time-dependent echinocytic shape transformation, which increased the suspension viscosity at high and low shear rates. On day 42, high shear viscosity in filtered units remained lower than in unfiltered counterparts, the mean cellular volume and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) were lower and erythrocytic ATP levels were higher. CONCLUSIONS: Prestorage leucocyte depletion by Leukotrap WB filters improves biophysical properties of erythrocyte concentrates throughout storage, which is, however, outweighed by a time-dependent echinocytic shape transformation and deterioration of these properties.