Impact on storage quality of red blood cells and platelets by ultrahigh-frequency radiofrequency identification tags

• Published in: Transfusion (Philadelphia, Pa.) Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 868 - 871
• Main Authors: Wang, Quan-Li, Wang, Xiao-Wei, Zhuo, Hai-Long, Shao, Chun-Yan, Wang, Jie, Wang, Hai-Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.04.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - physiology; Blood Platelets - radiation effects; Blood Preservation - instrumentation; Blood Preservation - methods; Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis; Erythrocyte Indices; Erythrocytes - physiology; Erythrocytes - radiation effects; Humans; Medical sciences; Platelet Aggregation; Platelet Count; Product Labeling - instrumentation; Product Labeling - methods; Radio Waves; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Blood cell; Platelet; Storage; Transfusion; Quality; Conservation; Red blood cell; Frequency; Identification; Radiofrequency
• ISSN: 0041-1132; 1537-2995
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2012.03845.x

BACKGROUND: Compared to ISBT128 code labels, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags have incomparable advantages and gradually applied in blood management system. However, there is no global standard for the uses of RFID frequency. Even though ISBT recommended high‐frequency RFID with 13.56 MHz, 820‐ to 960‐MHz ultrahigh frequency (UHF) RFID technology in many ways has even more advantages. For this reason, we studied the effect of UHF RFID tags with 820‐ to 960‐MHz exposure on storage quality of red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets (PLTs). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty units of collected and prepared suspended RBCs (sRBCs) and PLTs were divided into two bags, one each for the test and control groups. The sRBCs were stored in 4 ± 2°C refrigerator and the PLTs in a 22 ± 2°C rocking box. The test groups were exposed to RF reader continuously during storage. Sampling at different time points and biologic changes were tested. RESULTS: As the extension of storage and the pH and chlorine levels in the supernatant of sRBCs were reduced, free hemoglobin, potassium, and sodium increased, but were not significant between test and control groups (p > 0.05). During the storage period, the pH levels, PLT count, and PLT aggregation rate were decreased in both test and control groups, but were not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: When exposed to 820‐ to 960‐MHz RF, the biologic and biochemical indexes are not found to be exacerbated during 35 days of storage for sRBCs and 5 days for PLTs, respectively.