Effect of Sugars on Erythrocytes Preserved at 0° to −3°. ∗

Summary

Sucrose and lactose exert a preserving effect upon erythrocytes when stored at 0°C to −3°C. Sixty-four transfusions of blood thus stored for periods of time up to 47 days have shown good survival of the transfused cells. In the experiments in vivo the concentration of sugars varied from 3 to 5%. The experimental conditions were not always necessarily optimal for red cell preservation, and therefore the limits of storage are not maximal and will most likely be extended in future work. No attempt has been made to study the mechanism of action of the sugars on the preservation of red cells.