Leucocyte‐Depleted Blood: A Comparison of Cell‐Washing Techniques

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Abstract
Non-hemolytic febrile transfusion reactions are common in multi-transfused patients. The majority of these reactions evidently occur when more than 0.5 .times. 109 leukocytes are transfused. Values equal to or lower than this threshold, which was called for convenience the critical antigenic load for leukocytes (CALL), can be achieved by decreasing the leukocyte content in 1 unit of whole stored blood by about 80%. The efficiency of leukocyte depletion of whole stored blood was compared using fixed-speed centrifugation (Haemonetics Model 15 and Model 115 cell washer), variable-speed centrifugation (Dideco Progress 90 Cell Separator) and serial centrifugation (IBM 2991 Blood Cell Processor). Fixed-speed centrifugation was least effective in depleting leukocytes; a reduction of 25 and 60% was achieved using the Haemonetics Model 15 and Model 115, respectively. Variable speed and serial centrifugation produced more satisfactory results with leukocyte depletions of 82 and 89% using the Dideco Progress 90 Cell Separator and the IBM 2991 Blood Cell Processor, respectively. Platelet depletion of over 90% was achieved with all the cell washers, except the Haemonetics Model 15. Red cell losses varied from 3 to 30%. Consistently high (over 90%) leukocyte depletion cannot be obtained using cell-washing techniques without associated high red cell losses.