The effect of the plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate on the survival of
stored RBCs
JP AuBuchon, TN Estep and RJ Davey
Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, MD.
Recent in vitro studies have shown that di-2-ethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP)
inhibits the deterioration of RBCs during refrigerated storage in
containers that use this compound as a plasticizer. The experiments
described in this report were designed to assess whether this in vitro
protective effect of DEHP would result in a prolonged in vivo survival of
RBCs infused into normal human recipients. Whole blood collected from ten
normal donors was stored for 35 days in citrate-phosphate- dextrose-adenine
(CPDA-1) anticoagulant contained in polyvinylchloride (PVC) bags
plasticized with DEHP or a trimellitate compound that is known to have low
leachability. Aliquots of RBCs from each container were then labeled with
chromium-51 and were reinfused into the original donors. For blood stored
in DEHP-plasticized PVC bags, 24% more red cells survived in vivo 24 hours
after reinfusion than was observed when the blood had been stored in
trimellitate-plasticized bags (P less than .001). Whole blood stored in
glass bottles showed a similar improvement in in vivo survival when DEHP
was added in weekly increments to mimic the accumulation of this
plasticizer seen during storage in plastic containers. Survival of packed
red cells stored in the presence of DEHP increased by 14% compared with
storage in trimellitate-plasticized bags (P less than .05). In agreement
with previous studies, hemolysis and microvesicle formation were also
reduced in the presence of DEHP. These results suggest that proposed new
storage systems lacking DEHP should be carefully evaluated to determine
whether adequate post-transfusion survival of RBCs may be achieved.
Volume 71,
Issue 2,
pp. 448-452,
02/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
