The relationship of packed cell transfusion to red blood cell deformability in systemic inflammatory response syndrome patients.

RBC deformability (RBCD) is decreased in critically ill patients. This is thought to impede the passage of the RBC through the microcirculation. The cell transit analyzer (CTA) provides an evaluation of RBCD. RBCD was examined in 16 patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. CTA analysis was conducted within 24 h of admission to the surgical intensive care unit or as soon as possible thereafter, and then repeated every 72 h. Counts per second (C/s) was the parameter used as an index of RBCD. Patients were classified as Septic/SIRS or nonseptic at the time of each blood collection by standard clinical criteria. There were 34 total specimens, 22 septic/SIRS and 12 nonseptic. The C/s for the SIRS samples (41.7 +/- 3.4 was significantly (p < .05) lower than that of the non-SIRS samples (54.3 +/- 5.3). Seventeen of the Septic/SIRS samples were obtained following blood transfusion. Pearson's test calculated for the C/s and the total number of packed RBC transfusions showed a positive correlation (r = .594) that was statistically significant (p < .02). CTA was also performed on 10 U of banked packed RBC in vitro. Deformability was maintained at a constant level until the very end of the storage period, at which time there was a statistically significant decrease in C/s (p < .0001). These data suggest that packed RBC transfusion is associated with a significant improvement in the abnormally low RBCD seen in critically ill patients. This may be due to replacement of previously rigidified cells by cells with a more normal RBCD.