ABSTRACT
We tested 220 red blood cell units for the presence of pharmaceuticals; 15 units (6.8%) were confirmed to contain low concentrations of opiates, benzodiazepines, stimulants, or barbiturates. Further study is needed to determine whether these drugs, which are not prohibited in donated blood by current Food and Drug Administration standards, could mediate adverse reactions in children.
Subject(s)
Blood Banks/statistics & numerical data , Erythrocyte Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Pharmaceutical Preparations/blood , Erythrocyte Transfusion/methods , Erythrocytes , HumansABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To facilitate further assessment of transfusion-associated lead exposure by designing a procedure to test packed red blood cells (pRBCs) prepared for transfusion. STUDY DESIGN: The relationship between pRBCs and whole blood lead concentration was investigated in 27 samples using a modified clinical assay. Lead concentrations were measured in 100 pRBC units. RESULTS: Our sample preparation method demonstrated a correlation between whole blood lead and pRBC lead concentrations (R(2) = 0.82). In addition, all 100 pRBC units tested had detectable lead levels. The median pRBC lead concentration was 0.8 µg/dL, with an SD of 0.8 µg/dL and a range of 0.2-4.1 µg/dL. In addition, after only a few days of storage, approximately 25% of whole blood lead was found in the supernatant plasma. CONCLUSION: Transfusion of pRBCs is a source of lead exposure. Here we report the quantification of lead concentration in pRBCs. We found a >20-fold range of lead concentrations in the samples tested. Pretransfusion testing of pRBC units according to our proposed approach or donor screening of whole blood lead and selection of below-average units for transfusion to children would diminish an easily overlooked source of pediatric lead exposure.