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RBC Transfusions in Sickle Cell Disease

Does cell age matter?

Publish date:: June 4, 2015

The formation of red blood cell (RBC) antibodies is associated with the older age of RBCs at the time of transfusion and the number of units transfused, according to a retrospective study of 166 patients with sickle cell disease and 488 RBC transfusions. Researchers found:

• The median age of RBC units was 20 days.

• RBC units that were 7 days old had a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.5; the HR rose to 9.8 for RBC units that were 35 days old.

• No association was seen between alloimmunization acute vaso-occlusive complications

• Although increased echocardiography-derived tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRV) was associated with the presence of RBC antibodies, after adjustment for patient age and number of transfused units, TRV was not significantly associated with alloimmunization.

Citation: Desai PC, Deal AM, Pfaff ER, et al. Alloimmunization is associated with older age of transfused red blood cells in sickle cell disease [Published online ahead of print May 28, 2015]. Hematology. doi: 10.1002/ajh.24051.

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