• Silvana Biagini, Paulo Aguirre Costa, Silvano Wendel, Guilherme Schettino, and Azevedo Luciano Cesar Pontes LC Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brasil..
• Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
• Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2014 Jul 1; 26 (3): 287-91.

ObjectiveTo develop experimental models of erythrocyte transfusion, the first step is to ensure the viability of the red blood cells transfused. In this pilot study, we assessed the viability of transfused red blood cells with validation in vitro and in vivo of homologous swine erythrocytes stored for 14 days.MethodsBlood collected from one Agroceres swine was stored in two red blood cell units. In vivo validation was performed by labeling the red blood cells with Na₂⁵¹CrO₄ and recovering the viable erythrocytes after 24 hours of infusion in one autologous and four homologous animals. In vitro validation was performed at baseline and after 14 days in sixteen red blood cell units by measuring hemoglobin, hematocrit, hemolysis index and free hemoglobin. A post-mortem splenectomy was performed to evaluate the splenic sequestration of erythrocytes, and the radioactivity of the supernatant samples was counted to evaluate intravascular hemolysis.ResultsAfter 14 days of storage, the red blood cell units had lower volumes and equivalent total concentrations of hemoglobin and hematocrit compared to human standards. The free hemoglobin concentration increased from 31.0±9.3 to 112.4±31.4 mg/dL (p<0.001), and the hemolysis index increased from 0.1±0.1 to 0.5±0.1% (p<0.001). However, these tests were within the acceptable range for human standards. The percentage of radioactivity in supernatant samples was similar at baseline and after 24 hours, thus excluding significant hemolysis. No evidence of splenic sequestration of radioactive erythrocytes was found.ConclusionSwine red blood cells stored for 14 days are viable and can be used in experimental studies of transfusion. These validation experiments are important to aid investigators in establishing experimental models of transfusion.

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