'Old blood' linked to infection
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 10:28
in Health & Medicine
Blood stored for 29 days or more, nearly 2 weeks less than the current standard for blood storage, is associated with a higher infection rate in patients who received transfusions with the blood. In a new study presented at CHEST 2008, the 74th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), researchers found that patients who received transfusions with blood stored for 29 days or more were twice as likely to suffer from nosocomial infections, including pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, and sepsis, with the oldest blood being associated with the most infections. Currently, federal regulations allow red blood cells to be stored up to 42 days, after which they must be discarded.