Reliability of tube-based quality assessment of packed red blood cells: Insights from FTIR and Raman spectroscopic analyses
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The quality of red blood cells (RBCs) is crucial in transfusion efficacy and safety, particularly in high-risk patients. In this study, age-related biochemical alterations in stored pRBCs were investigated using a systematic, paired comparison of samples collected from pilot tubes and the main storage bags. The analyses were based on spectroscopic measurements of the isolated supernatant mixture containing RBC-derived metabolites and hemolysis products, instead of intact red blood cells. This proof-of-concept demonstrates that pilot tube samples may not reliably reflect the biochemical state of pRBCs stored in the main bag. Our findings revealed that RBCs stored in pilot tubes undergo accelerated degradation, as indicated by elevated hemoglobin concentration, increased lactate levels, reduced glucose content, and a higher lipid-to-protein ratio. Semiquantitative analysis showed that these markers were elevated by approximately 20–100% by the seventh week of storage compared to those observed in the main blood bags. These consistent trends underscore that pilot tube samples do not reliably reflect the true biochemical quality of pRBCs intended for transfusion. Notably, the study highlights the high diagnostic potential of FTIR and Raman spectroscopies in assessing blood quality in a rapid, non-destructive manner. These techniques offer a promising tool for point-of-care evaluation of RBC integrity directly through the storage bag, enabling improved transfusion decision-making, especially in critical care settings. By directly comparing pilot tube and main bag samples, this study reveals systematic differences in their biochemical profiles and proposes a spectroscopic framework for representative, non-invasive evaluation of pRBC quality. Highlights • pRBCs stored in pilot tubes degrade faster than in main blood bags. • Accelerated hemolysis and glucose depletion observed in pilot tubes. • FTIR and Raman spectroscopies provide reliable, non-invasive biomarkers. • Pilot tubes are not representative of transfusion-ready RBCs. • Proposed method may support point-of-care blood quality assessment.
Institutions: Jagiellonian University, AGH University of Krakow
Language: English
Subfield: Biochemistry
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,750
OpenAlex ID: W7127900184