Hyperkalemia after irradiation of packed red blood cells: Possible effects with intravascular fetal transfusion

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(90)91210-4· OSTI ID:6790524

Thorp, J A; Plapp, F V; Cohen, G R; Yeast, J D; O'Kell, R T; Stephenson, S ^[1]

---

1. St. Luke's Perinatal Center, Kansas City, MO (USA)

Plasma potassium, calcium, and albumin concentrations in irradiated blood, and in fetal blood before and after transfusion, were measured. Dangerously high plasma potassium levels were observed in some units of irradiated packed red blood cells (range, 13.9 to 66.5 mEq/L; mean, 44.7 mEq/L) and could be one possible explanation for the high incidence of fetal arrhythmia associated with fetal intravascular transfusion. There are many factors operative in the preparation of irradiated packed red blood cells that may predispose to high potassium levels: the age of the red blood cells, the number of procedures used to concentrate the blood, the duration of time elapsed from concentration, the duration of time elapsed from irradiation, and the hematocrit. Use of fresh blood, avoidance of multiple packing procedures, limiting the hematocrit in the donor unit to less than or equal to 80%, and minimizing the time between concentration, irradiation and transfusion may minimize the potassium levels, and therefore making an additional washing procedure unnecessary.

• OSTI ID: 6790524
• Journal Information: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology; (USA), Vol. 163:2; ISSN 0002-9378
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ERYTHROCYTES
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
FETUSES
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
ALBUMINS
CALCIUM
GRAFT-HOST REACTION
POTASSIUM
TRANSFUSIONS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMISTRY
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
THERAPY
560120* - Radiation Effects on Biochemicals
Cells
& Tissue Culture