Objective: To assess changes in biochemical and biophysical properties of canine RBCs during cold (1° to 6°C) storage in a licensed RBC additive solution (the RBC preservation solution designated AS-1) supplemented with ascorbic acid.
Sample: Blood samples from 7 neutered male Greyhounds; all dogs had negative results when tested for dog erythrocyte antigen 1.1.
Procedures: Blood was collected into citrate-phosphate-dextrose and stored in AS-1. Stored RBCs were supplemented with 7.1mM ascorbic acid or with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control samples). Several biochemical and biophysical properties of RBCs were measured, including percentage hemolysis, oxygen-hemoglobin equilibrium, and the kinetic rate constants for O2 dissociation, carbon monoxide association, and nitric oxide dioxygenation.
Results: Greyhound RBCs stored in AS-1 supplemented with ascorbic acid did not have significantly decreased hemolysis, compared with results for the control samples, during the storage period.
Conclusions and clinical relevance: In this study, ascorbic acid did not reduce hemolysis during storage. Several changes in stored canine RBCs were identified as part of the hypothermic storage lesion.