Anyone seen anything about these studies?  Cleveland Clinic had a somewhat controversal retrospective study out over two years ago and there was supposed to be several new ones started but I have not heard much.

 

Thanks, Scott

There are many conflicting studies out concerning the "old blood" issue, none that are definitive yet. So I think the jury is still out...

Which is fine with me, because I don't have enough new blood for everyone.

I have heard rumors of 21d outdates from the feds for all rbcs,  but there is no consensus yet and no guidance documents/regulations. 

I attended a Red Cross seminar yesterday and this was one of the topics.  Many confilicting reports, no consensus in studies as to what constitutes "fresh" vs "old" rbcs.  2 major studies in progress which may provide further insight.  The Cleveland Clinic original article was by their anesthesia dept . . . the same department did another study (by the director) which concluded that the original study was flawed.  Very interesting seminar.

There are a couple studies I know of;

 

ABLE - global but most are in Canada (&US?) started in 2008 and hope to have enough patients by end of this year -  synopsis: http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN44878718/

 

one out of McMaster University in Toronto - link to vidio presentation when just beginning  http://mediasite.otn.ca/Mediasite/Play/03201e7ac63d42e7a32c6d41704e9e441d?catalog=fd668812-d87c-47f9-b1ba-6d979fed9af4

 

One completed on babies - I believe did not show a benefit ARIPI - I can find info at work if you'd like

I recently attended a Seminar where this was one of the topics.  The Cleveland Clinic studies were discussed but here is the problem with their studies (and all others done "to date").  They were not comparing "apples to apples."  Their first study was on Cardiac Patients (in which they said the age of blood definitely affected morbidity and mortality).  The 2nd study was done on Non-Cardiac patients (which they said contradicted their first study).  And that is the problem with all of these studies; no 2 patients, even if they have the same admitting diagnosis, are exactly the same.  They can vary by age, by "general health," by additional health issues, emotional issues, etc. 

The speaker also brought up the point that while we have shown that RBCs survive for the amount of time of the anticoagulant, what we still don't know is, "do they still function" well in providing oxygen to the patient. 

His conclusion was that basically, we still just don't know because there are no conclusive studies.

 

David Saiken....wonder if you were at the same seminar I attended??  

 

Brenda Hutson

I see there have been a few small studies indirectly related to this, where RBC "survival" is tracked using radiotide-tagged RBCs.  But as has been pointed out, just because a RBC is alive doesn't necessarily mean its OK.

 

I guess we have to wait till the end of the year to find out what the larger studies come up with.

 

Scott

I recently attended a Seminar where this was one of the topics.  The Cleveland Clinic studies were discussed but here is the problem with their studies (and all others done "to date").  They were not comparing "apples to apples."  Their first study was on Cardiac Patients (in which they said the age of blood definitely affected morbidity and mortality).  The 2nd study was done on Non-Cardiac patients (which they said contradicted their first study).  And that is the problem with all of these studies; no 2 patients, even if they have the same admitting diagnosis, are exactly the same.  They can vary by age, by "general health," by additional health issues, emotional issues, etc. 

The speaker also brought up the point that while we have shown that RBCs survive for the amount of time of the anticoagulant, what we still don't know is, "do they still function" well in providing oxygen to the patient. 

His conclusion was that basically, we still just don't know because there are no conclusive studies.

 

David Saiken....wonder if you were at the same seminar I attended??  

 

Brenda Hutson

Brenda

 

I was at the NH version; I bet you were at the Maine meeting.

 

ds