Background: Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease can be prevented by
irradiation to blood components. However, a few studies have been performed to
evaluate the effect of prestorage irradiation to the post-transfusion survival rates of red
blood cells(RBCs).
Methods : Eight normal volunteers were participated in this study and 4 units of
packed RBCs were used. The halves of 4 units of packed RBCs were
irradiated(3,000cGy) and stored for 24 days and then transfused to 4 volunteers. The
other 4 volunteers were transfused similary with packed RBCs which had not been
irradiated and stored for 24 days.
To assess the effect of irradiation to storage of RBCs, the survival rates of
radiolabeled RBCs were determined by using Moroff's single labeled method. And the
measurements of Hb, plasma Hb, LDH, pH, K+ of packed RBCs were done
on irradiation day and post-irradiation 24 days.
Results: On 24 days of storage, irradiated packed RBCs showed significantly higher
levels of LDH, plasma Hb and K+compared to non-irradiated packed RBCs,
but not Hb and pH.
The mean RBC survival rates after post-transfusion 24 hours of irradiated and
non-irradiated group were 70.5% and 84.5%, respectively on 24 days of storage. The
mean RBC survival rate after post-transfusion 24 hours of irradiated group was not
significantly lower than that of non-irradiated group, but those of 2 cases of irradiated
group were lower than 70%.
Conclusion: It could be suggested that the storage of packed RBCs for 24 days after
irradiation might be ineffective to transfusion.

Keywords: Irradiation, Storage, RBC survival