Storage Duration and Red Blood Cell-Derived Microparticles in Packed Red Blood Cells Obtained from Donors with Thalassemia.

OBJECTIVE: To address the effects of storage duration on red blood cell (RBC)-derived microparticles (RMPs) in packed RBCs from donors who have thalassemia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Packed RBCs were prepared according to laboratory routine. The quantity of RMPs was determined using FACSCalibur and counting beads.
RESULTS: Across durations of storage, the packed RBCs from donors with thalassemia (n = 28) and healthy volunteers (n = 104) showed average RMPs to be 47,426 (10,139‒127,785) particles/μL vs 49,021 (13,033‒126,749) particles/μL, respectively (P = .63). The peak RMP levels in donors with thalassemia and healthy volunteers, respectively, were shown in products from storage days 34 and 38. Both groups showed a trend toward a positive association between RMP concentration and the duration of storage in packed RBC bags stored under blood bank conditions.
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that storage-induced RMP release has similar effects in stored packed RBCs obtained from both donors with thalassemia and healthy volunteers. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.