Effect of perioperative autologous versus allogeneic blood transfusion on the immune system in gastric cancer patients

Background： Allogeneic blood transfusion-induced immunomodulation （TRIM） and its adverse effect on the prognosis of patients treated surgically for cancer remain complex and controversial. However, the potential risk associated with allogeneic blood transfusion has heightened interest in the use of autologous blood transfusion. In the present study, the serum concentrations of neopterin, interferon-gamma （IFN-γ）, T lymphocyte subsets （CD3^＋, CD4^＋, CD8^＋, CD4^＋/CD8^＋） and a possible association between these variables were investigated. The purpose was to further evaluate the effect of autologous versus allogeneic blood transfusion on immunological status in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Methods： Sixty ASA Ⅰ～Ⅱ（American Society of Anesthesiologists） patients undergoing elective radical resection for stomach cancer were randomly allocated to receive either allogeneic blood transfusion （n=30） or autologous blood transfusion （n=30）. Serum concentrations of the neopterin, IFN-γ and T lymphocyte subsets in the recipients were measured before induction of anesthesia, after operation, and on the 5th postoperative day. Results： Both two groups, serum neopterin, IFN-γ, percentages of T-cell subsets （CD3^＋, CD4^＋）, and CD4^＋/CD8^＋ ratio had significantly decreased after operation, but decreased more significantly in group H （receiving allogeneic blood transfusion） than those in group A （receiving autologous whole blood transfusion） （P〈0.05）. On the 5th postoperative day,serum neopterin, IFN-γ, CD3^＋, CD4^＋ T-cells, and CD4^＋/CD8^＋ ratio returned to the baseline values in group A. In contrast, the above remain decreasing in group H, where there were no significant relations between serum neopterin and IFN-γ. Conclusion：Perioperative surgical trauma and stress have an immunosuppressive impact on gastric cancer patients. Allogeneic blood transfusion exacerbates the impaired immune response. Autologous blood transfusion might be significantly beneficial for immune-compromised patients in the perioperative period, clearly showing its superiority over allogeneic blood transfusion.

Advantage of autologous blood transfusion in surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the significance of autologous blood transfusion (AT) in reducing homologous blood transfusion (HT) in surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The proportion of patients who received HT was compared between two groups determined by the time of AT introduction; period A (1991-1994, n = 93) and period B (1995-2000, n = 201). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify independent significant predictors of the need for HT. We also investigated the impact of AT and HT on long-term postoperative outcome after curative surgery for HCC. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with HT was significantly lower in period B than period A (18.9% vs 60.2%, P < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified AT administration as a significant independent predictor of the need for HT (P < 0.0001). Disease-free survival in patients with AT was comparable to that without any transfusion. Multivariate analysis identified HT administration as an independent significant factor for poorer disease-free survival (P = 0.0380). CONCLUSION: AT administration significantly decreased the need for HT. Considering the postoperative survival disadvantage of HT, AT administration could improve the long-term outcome of HCC patients.

Effect of autologous blood donation on the central venous pressure, blood loss and blood transfusion during living donor left hepatectomy

AIM： Autologous blood donation （ABD） is mainly used to reduce the use of banked blood. In fact, ABD can be regarded as acute blood loss. Would ABD 2-3 d before operation affect the CVP level and subsequently result in less blood loss during liver resection was to be determined.METHODS： Eighty-four patients undergoing living donor left hepatectomy were retrospectively divided as group Ⅰ （GⅠ） and group Ⅱ （GⅡ） according to have donated 250-300 mL blood 2-3 d before living donor hepatectomy or not. The changes of the intraoperative CVP, surgical blood loss,blood products used and the changes of perioperative hemoglobin （Hb） between groups were analyzed and compared by using Mann-Whitney Utest.RESULTS： The results show that the intraoperative CVP changes between GⅠ （n = 35） and GⅡ （n = 49） up to graft procurement were the same, subsequently the blood loss,but ABD resulted in significantly lower perioperative Hb levels in GI.CONCLUSION： Since none of the patients required any blood products perioperatively, all the predonated bloods were discarded after the patients were discharged from the hospital. It indicates that ABD in current series had no any beneficial effects, in term of cost, lowering the CVP, blood loss and reduce the use of banked blood products, but resulted in significant lower Hb in perioperative period.

Blood transfusion for the treatment of acute anaemia in inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive diseases

Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) is frequently used as the first therapeutic option for the treatment of acute anaemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially when it developed due to gastrointestinal or perioperative blood loss, but is not risk-free. Adverse effects of ABT include, but are not limited to, acute hemolytic reaction (wrong blood or wrong patient), febrile non-hemolytic transfusional reaction, bacterial contamination, transfusion-related acute lung injury, transfusion associated circulatory overload, transfusion-related immuno-modulation, and transmission of almost all infectious diseases (bacteria, virus, protozoa and prion), which might result in increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, the main physiological goal of ABT, i.e. to increase oxygen consumption by the hypoxic tissues, has not been well documented. In contrast, the ABT is usually misused only to increase the haemoglobin level within a f ixed protocol [mostly two by two packed red blood cell (PRC) units] independently of the patient' s tolerance to normovolemic anaemia or his clinical response to the transfusion of PRC units according to a "one-by-one" administration schedule. Evidencebased clinical guidelines may promote best transfusion practices by implementing restrictive transfusion protocols, thus reducing variability and minimizing the avoidable risks of transfusion, and the use of autologous blood and pharmacologic alternatives. In this regard, preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) consistently diminished the frequency of ABT, although its contribution to ABT avoidance is reduced when performed under a transfusion protocol. In addition, interpretation of utility of PABD in surgical IBD patients is hampered by scarcity of published data. However, the role of autologous red blood cells as drug carriers is promising. Finally, it must be stressed that a combination of methods used within wellconstructed protocols will offer better prospects for blood conservation in selected IBD patients undergoing elective surgery.

Autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood after open heart surgery

Objective To determine the safety and effectiveness of autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood after open heart surgery. Methods Sixty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were selected randomly to receive either nonwashed shed mediastinal blood (Group 1,n=30) or banked blood (Group 2, n=30). Drainage and transfusion volume were determined after the operation. Hb,RBC,HCT and PLT were detected immediately before and after the operation,as well as 24 hours and 7 days after the operation. Data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test. A P <0.05 was considered significant. Results There were no significant differences in Hb,HCT,PLT or length of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) ( P >0.05). In the two groups,no significant difference in the mean blood loss was observed during 24 hours after the operation (660±300 ml in Group 1 and 655±280 ml in Group 2, P >0.05). In Group 1,the mean volume autotransfused was 280±160 ml,and the patients required 360±80 ml banked blood compared with 660±120 ml in Group 2. In other words,the banked blood requirement in Group 1 was 40% lower. Conclusions Autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood after an open heart operation is safe and effective.

Ultraviolet blood irradiation and oxygenation affects free radicals and antioxidase after rabbit spinal cord injury

To investigate the effects of ultraviolet blood irradiation and oxygenation (UBIO) on free radicals and antioxidase after spinal cord injury in rabbits Methods Totally, 186 rabbits were used and divided randomly into four experimental groups: control (n=6), blood transfusion (n=24), injured (n=96) and treatment (n=60) groups The relative intensity of free radical (FR) signals, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH PX) were compared among the four groups at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours and 6 days after injury Results The relative intensity of FR signals in spinal cord tissue in the injured group increased at 48 hours and showed a striking difference compared with the control group; in the treatment group, it decreased and showed a striking difference compared with the injured group MDA content in blood in the injured group increased and showed a striking difference at 6, 24 and 48 hours and showed a significant difference at 72 hours and 6 days after injury compared with the control group In the treatment group, MDA content in blood decreased and showed a significant difference at 48 hours compared with the injured group MDA content in spinal cord tissue increased in the injured group and showed a striking difference compared with the control group; in the treatment group, it decreased and showed a striking difference compared with the injured group at the corresponding times The activity of SOD in blood and spinal cord tissue decreased in the injured group and showed a striking difference compared with the control group; in the treatment group, it increased and showed a striking difference compared with the injured group at the corresponding times The changes in activity of GSH PX in blood and spinal cord tissue were similar to that in SOD No significant difference was observed between the blood transfusion and control groups Conclusion UBIO can ease free radical damages and elevate the activity of antioxidases after spinal cord injury in rabbits