Banked Blood May Not Be As Effective As Hoped

URSpider alerts us to two separate research reports published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pointing to the rapid breakdown of nitric oxide in donated blood as a reason why such blood loses its ability to transfer oxygen, and is sometime implicated in problems such as strokes and heart attacks. Nitric oxide depletion is significant after 3 hours of storage; yet current guidelines allow for storing donated blood for up to 42 days. The article notes: "Several of the researchers, including Stamler, have consulting and/or equity relationships with Nitrox/N30, a company developing nitric oxide based therapies."

Comments

pros and cons

[LiquidCoooled]

Let me weigh up the situation here:

Die due to running out of blood.
Survive because someone donated blood.

I realise that the length of time is a factor and you want the freshest possible, but beggars can't be choosers.

Re:pros and cons

[Vellmont]

Let me weigh up the situation here:

Die due to running out of blood.
Survive because someone donated blood.


Or the third possibility, which this article is likely addressing:

Receive a nitric oxide injection that's packaged along with the blood in addition to the blood transfusion, and have an even better chance of surviving than blood alone.

Why do you think there's only two possibilities?

Re:pros and cons

[nursegirl]

Actually, the situation is closer to:

1) Potentially die due to running out of blood (although many blood recipients aren't at death's door when they receive transfusions)
2) Potentially die post-transfusion from a heart attack or stroke
3) Potentially receive added nitric oxide, once study of this matter has moved forwards.

Shouldn't the goal of medical research be that we don't have medical beggars, but instead that anyone can have the best possible options?

Possible implications on blood storage

[WillAffleckUW]

1. This is a study with participants highly linked to a firm that makes money off of adding NO to blood products. They have financial and other incentives to find a "lack" of NO in stored blood.

2. As with any study, an independent study should be done to see if this is verifiable and repeatable. This should be done by a lab that is not financially or otherwise linked to the NO additive firm aforementioned.

3. The other thing to look at is method of storage, temperature, and other conditions - did they conform to current standards, did they vary these elements, and was this independently audited?