HEMOGLOBIN FUNCTION OF STORED BLOOD,

Serial oxygen dissociation curves were done on blood units preserved in acid-citrate-dextrose ACD, ACD-adenine and ACD-adenine-inosine. dividing blood from a single donor into two or more bags allowed direct comparison between preservatives. During the first week of storage in ACD, a progressive increase in oxygen affinity was observed. Thereafter, little further change was noted. Oxygen affinity increased even more rapidly during initial storage in ACD-adenine. However, with the inclusion of inosine as a preservative, oxygen affinity remained unaltered during the first two weeks. Increases in oxygen affinity correlated well with falling levels of red cell 2,3-DPG during storage. No significant changes in GSH, or A3AI hemoglobin levels were noted during the first three weeks of storage. No significant accumulation of ferrihemoglobin was detected. When blood stored 20 days in ACD or ACD-adenine was incubated with inosine for 60 min at 37C, 2,3-DPG and ATP were resynthesized and oxygen affinity was decreased. The distribution of 2,3-DPG in fresh and stored red cells appeared to influence experimental values for Hills n, a measure of heme-heme interaction. Author