Red cell suspensions in SAGM medium. Further experience of in vivo survival of red cells, clinical usefulness and plasma-saving effects.

Red cells depleted of buffy coat and more than 90% of the plasma were suspended and stored in a medium composed of sodium chloride, adenine, glucose and mannitol (SAGM). The 24-hour posttransfusion survival of 51Cr-labeled red cells was 83.5 +/- 5.3% (n = 4) after storage for 35 days and 77.4 +/- 4.7% (n = 6) after 42 days. No abnormal in vivo hemolysis occurred as judged from posttransfusion haptoglobin consumption studies. No abnormal body temperature elevation was found at continuous pertransfusion recordings. The frequency of febrile or urticarial transfusion reactions was 0.19% as compared to 0.68% during a whole-blood transfusion period. Since a mean of 280 ml of plasma can be collected from each blood unit the plasma-saving effects of the system are considerable. Favorable large-scale clinical experience is reported.