Red blood cells storage lesion: the effect of blood donation time on biochemical parameters

There is a circadian rhythm and diurnal variation in the redox capacity in blood plasma and there is a decrease in antioxidant capacity (TAC) during the RBCs storage in blood banking. So it is possible that donated blood, based on donation time, has a different antioxidant capacity and as a result a different biochemical response during storage. This study attempts to uncover this issue.
 

In this experimental study, Twenty RBC units were collected from two donor groups in the morning (8-11am) and evening (5-8pm) and were stored for 3 to 42 days at 4 to 8 degrees Celsius. Glucose, Sodium, potassium, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pH, malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity were measured by a commercial kit. Nitrate/nitrite was measured by Griess method.
 

The levels of nitrate/nitrite, MDA, and LDH in the evening group increased significantly when compared to the morning group (p < 0.05). However, a decreasing trend in TAC, pH, Glucose, and sodium levels (p < 0.05) versus an increasing trend in potassium, lactate, LDH, and MDA was seen in both groups during storage (p < 0.05).

This study showed that oxidative damage in donated blood in the evening was higher than in the morning during storage, which may reduce RBC survival. Therefore, more studies are required with more sample sizes to examine the effect of donation time on the RBC storage lesion.