HAEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF TRANSFUSION OF STORED BLOOD IN TRANSFUSION-DEPENDENT THALASSEMIA PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Thalassemia is a genetic disease in which there is an imbalance in the synthesis of globin polypeptide chains. The current study aimed to determine the haematological and biochemical effects of transfusion of seven days stored blood in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted between January and July 2021 at Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawar. A total of 20 transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients were selected. The impact of transfusion of 7-days old blood on haemoglobin levels, serum LDH, serum electrolytes, serum-free haemoglobin, serum bilirubin, serum-free iron, serum ferritin, and C-reactive protein were measured. Variations in pre-transfusion and post-transfusion samples were determined using paired-samples t-test, and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: There was a non-significant difference in increase of haemoglobin levels (p=0.543) after transfusion of fresh and stored blood. Similarly, RBC counts, MCV, MCH, MCHC showed a slightly lower increase as compared to fresh blood. No differences were seen in platelet count between the two groups. However, the rise in white cells was significantly higher after transfusion of 7-days stored blood as compared to fresh blood (p=0.002). A non-significant increase in post-transfusion LDH (p=0.13), direct bilirubin (p=0.76) and indirect bilirubin (p=0.45) was seen. No differences in creatinine, glucose, and uric acid variations were found. Levels of C-reactive protein showed a significantly higher raise when 7-days stored blood was transfused in comparison with fresh blood (p=0.012). Conclusion: At least seven days stored blood can be safely transfused to transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients.