A comparative analysis of factors influencing haemoglobin content in RBC units

Abstract Background and objectives The increment in a patient’s haemoglobin level is based upon the haemoglobin content of the transfused RBC units. The total haemoglobin present in the blood bags can vary because of the blood donor, processing method, volume and type of bag used. The study is done to analyse the factors causing variation of haemoglobin content in RBC units. Materials and Methods A total of 260 RBC units were tested for the haemoglobin content and analysed with the donor variables (age, gender, weight & capillary haemoglobin). The blood bags were then separated into two groups based on the donor capillary haemoglobin (normal 12.5–15.0 g/dL vs high 15.1–18.0 g/dL), volume (350 vs 450 mL), processing method (Platelet rich plasma vs buffy coat) and further analysis was carried out. Results The mean haemoglobin content was 54.7 g ranging from 34.2–80 g per unit. The factors which significantly influenced (p Conclusion The marked variation of haemoglobin content in our study revealed that there is a need for standardizing RBC unit. Labelling of units with haemoglobin content and transfusion based on it will result in better patient care.