Leukoreduction in dogs and horses whole blood for erythrocyte transfusion

Abstract

Leukoreduction is the process of removing white blood cells contained in blood products of a Blood Bank to rµLe out adverse reactions in the receptor. The objective of this study was to test the leukoreduction effectiveness of the "Top and Bottom System" centrifugation method in canine and horse blood units. Blood was obtained in a transfusion system, Optipac® cuadruplex CPD/Adsol, Baxter®, from healthy animals, 10 dogs and 10 horses. 450 ml of blood was extracted from each donor and collected in the total blood unit (ST) of the system and centrifuged. After centrifugation, the ST unit was processed in the Optipress®, Baxter® to obtain the leukoreduced red blood cells concentrate (CE) into a separated plastic unit. Blood samples of 1 ml were collected from each animal during the blood extraction, a second from the ST unit and a third from the CE unit. Samples were analyzed to determine red cell count, haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, and leucocyte count (WBC) using an haematological analyzer, Sysmex KX-21N. Descriptive statistics and "t" Student matching group test were used to analize data. The CE obtained at the end of the process had a Packed Cell Volume (PCV) = 57% in both species and the erythrocyte characteristics remained unchanged after the leukoreduction process. The CE of the canine blood was efficiently leukoreduced (mean = 95.5%) with a remaining WBC content of 0 to 3100 µL (mean 790 µL). The CE of the horse blood was also efficiently leukoreduced (mean = 93.4%) remaining a WBC content between 200 to 800 µL (mean 450 µL). These results show that the Top and Bottom System is efficient in obtaining leukoreduced erythrocyte units to be used for transfusion in dogs and horses.