ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the effects of coincubation of various solutions and medications with canine packed red blood cells (pRBCs). Design Prospective in vitro study. Experimental Units Ten commercially prepared bags of canine pRBCs and fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Interventions pRBCs were coincubated with normal saline solution (NSS), 5% dextrose (D5W), Normosol‐R, fentanyl, propofol, norepinephrine, dopamine, or same‐donor FFP, as a control. Two pRBC storage times (28‐day‐old blood, MCV was significantly increased with dextrose, norepinephrine, dopamine, and fentanyl. OF was mildly but significantly increased with SAL, norepinephrine, dopamine, and fentanyl. Coincubation with propofol resulted in many changes consistent with lipid emulsion artifact, impeding the detection of true additive effects. Conclusions Under the most ideal conditions tested (short coincubation of <7‐day‐old pRBCs), most additives had minimal deleterious effects on RBCs. However, NSS caused mild RBC swelling under all conditions. Mild RBC swelling and increased OF were also observed with most additives in older blood. The propofol lipid emulsion causes analytical interference that confounded the interpretation of results. Further investigation into the safety and efficacy of coadministration of RBCs with other products, including NSS, is indicated.
Smith et al. (Thu,) studied this question.