Thread: Pitt, Wake Forest team finds why stored transfusion blood less safe with age

Excerpt -
PITTSBURGH, July 13 – Transfused blood may need to be stored in a different way to prevent the breakdown of red blood cells that can lead to complications including infection, organ failure and death, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Wake Forest University. This week in the early online version of Circulation, the team reports the latest findings from its ongoing exploration of the interaction between red blood cell breakdown products and nitric oxide (NO), revealing new biological mechanisms that can reduce blood flow and possibly damage vital tissues after administration of blood that has been stored for longer than 39 days.
In recent years, doctors have noted that transfusion of either many units of blood or of blood stored a long time may be associated with a greater frequency of complications, such as increased infection risk, kidney, lung or multi-organ failure and death, particularly among medically vulnerable patients, explained senior investigator Mark T. Gladwin, M.D., chief, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Pitt School of Medicine, and director of Pitt's Vascular Medicine Institute.



Pitt, Wake Forest team finds why stored transfusion blood may become less safe with age

Does anyone here think this is going to be an easy, low cost fix?

They have known about the nitric oxide issue for years now, not much has happened with that, as far as I know.

Actually quite a bit has changed over the years. Hospitals are pressuring blood banks to lower storage times. Surgeons are demanding "fresher" blood. Healthcare is slow to adopt change especially when the change effects standard practice and especially when that practice involves the blood banking system. Steady consistent pressure brings significant change.