Leukocyte‐depleted blood A comparison of filtration techniques

Abstract

Febrile transfusion reactions due to leukoagglutinins are commonly seen in multitransfused patients. Reduction of the number of leukocytes per transfusion to 0.5 .times. 109 or less was previously suggested to prevent nonhemolytic febrile transfusion reactions in the majority of patients. The ability of several filters to reduce the leukocyte content of stored whole blood drawn into citrate-phosphate-dextrose was compared. The leukocyte absorption filters, Imugard IG500 and Erypur, produced 98.3 .+-. 2.4 and 98.3 .+-. 1.7% leukocyte depletion, respectively. The leukocyte adherence filter, Leuko-Pak, produced a depletion of 54.6 .+-. 14.7%. The microaggregate filters, Biotest MF10B Microfiltration set, Uotipor Blood Transfusion Filter SQ40S and Travenol 20 .mu.m. High Capacity Transfusion Filter, produced 37.5 .+-. 10.8, 13.3 .+-. 11.2 and 44.5 .+-. 11.3% leukocyte depletion, respecdtively. Of all the filters tested, the Imugard IG500 and the Erypur are the only filters which can invariably reduce the absolute number of leukocytes in a unit of stored whole blood to < 0.5 .times. 109.