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Results of a new US study find that older blood is putting transfusion patients at risk of serious health problems including hospital acquired infections.
According to the study, blood that is stored for 29 days or longer, which is then given to patients is putting that patient at increased risk, despite the fact that this length of wait time is well within US regulatory guidelines pertaining to the length of time that blood is allowed to be stored.
Study researchers found that these patients who received older blood were up to twice as likely to develop hospital acquired infections than patients given fresher blood.
For their study, the researchers from Cooper University Hospital in Camden, analyzed 422 patients in intensive care units.
Those receiving blood older than 29 days, were more likely to develop infections such as pneumonia, heart valve infections, sepsis etc.
According to researchers, people who receive older blood, receive blood whose red blood cell structure has been altered due to it being older, in a way that effects the patient’s immune system.
The FDA allows for blood to be stored for up to 42 days before it must be thrown out.
