Effect of Blood Transfusion on the Carbon Monoxide Transfer Factor of the Lung in Man

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Abstract
Ten studies were performed on 9 patients with hematological disorders but with normal lungs, who required intermittent blood transfusions. The transfer factor for carbon monoxide and uptake of carbon monoxide per unit lung volume (KCO) were measured with the single breath technique before and at various intervals after transfusion. The mean Hb concentration increased from 7.7 to 11.1 g/dl. The TLCO [transfer factor for carbon monoxide] increased according to a formula based on the Roughton and Forster diffusion equations. TLCO (standardized) = TLCO (observed) .cntdot. (10.2 + Hb)/1.7 Hb, where Hb is expressed as g/dl. The correlation between measured and predicted values was slightly better if changes in alveolar volume were taken into account, by using the KCO value.