Microaggregate Content and Flow Rates of Packed Red Blood Cells

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Abstract
Platelet rich red cells (PRRC) and platelet poor red cells (PPRC) are prepared in the course of red cell production [human]. PRRC tend to have a higher hematocrit (82 .+-. 7) than PPRC (77 .+-. 5), (P < .001). There are more microaggregates present in PRRC (2.48 .+-. 1.41 gm) than in PPRC (1.46 .+-. 0.61 gm), (P < .001). The infusion rate for PRRC was 4.0 .times. 1.8 ml/min, and this was significantly smaller than for PPRC which was 9.7 .+-. 1.7 m/min, P < .001). This compares to a rate for whole blood of 32.8 ml/min. The difference in flow rate of the 2 types of red blood cells is in part due to a difference in viscosity, but more importantly due to a difference in microaggregate content. Flow rate is normalized for both types of packed cells by the addition of 100-150 ml of saline; infusion time is normalized by the addition of only 50-100 ml of saline to the packed cell units.