THE RATE OF POST-TRANSFUSION LOSS OF NON-VIABLE STORED HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES AND THE RE-UTILIZATION OF HEMOGLOBIN-DERIVED RADIO-ACTIVE IRON 1

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Abstract
Non-viable stored human erythrocytes are rapidly removed from the blood stream after transfusion. The rate of removal of non-viable cells varies inversely with the percentage survival of the transfused tagged cells. At or above 80% survival, non-viable cells are completely removed in 24 hrs.; below this survival level, loss of non-viable cells may continue into the 2d post-transfusion day. At any survival level, the majority of non-viable cells are removed from the blood stream during the first 2 hours after transfusion. On theoretical and practical grounds 70% retention of all transfused cells may be considered the lowest safe survival level. The bodily economy of Fe derived from the Hb of non-viable cells is such that the utilization is about 20 times that of equivalent amts. of Fe given orally.