Scientists from the University of Colorado in the USA discovered that donor blood containing high amounts of the kynurenine metabolite is destroyed faster, losing the properties necessary for successful transfusion. Research results published In Blood magazine.
Blood transfusion is one of the most common medical procedures in a hospital. It is stated that blood provided from donors can be stored for up to 42 days before being used for its intended purpose. The transport efficiency of erythrocytes, which are red blood cells that carry hemoglobin and are responsible for the metabolic processes of tissues and organs, decreases as they are stored.
In their study, the researchers focused on identifying biomarkers of the quality of donated blood that were associated with longer shelf life. The researchers also examined how the donor’s age, gender, and body mass index affected blood quality. They used information on 13,000 donors from the US General Biobank and Recipient Epidemiology Research Database.
Researchers have found that high levels of the metabolite kynurenine (a substance that undergoes chemical transformations during the metabolic process) in the blood is an indicator of the “fragility” of your cells. Increased concentrations of this substance were found more often in the blood of male donors, elderly women and people with high BMI. Kynurenine-rich blood can degrade rapidly, reducing transfusion efficiency and shortening shelf life.
According to the researchers, their discovery will help tailor blood transfusion methods to the individual needs of recipients. Additionally, this approach will allow us to better understand which metabolic properties contribute to the long shelf life of donor blood.
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