BLOOD TRANSFUSION and BLOOD GROUPS

ERS Helen W. Belding, M.D., Winston-Salem, .V.C’. Conrad Maier, M.D., Zurich, Switzerland Robert B. Chodos, M.D., Boston, Mass. Cesar Merino, M.D., Lima, Peru Roger C. Crafts, Ph.D., Cincinnati Milo s Netou ek, M.D., Praha, Czechoslovakia C. R. DasGupta, M.D., Calcutta, India Charles E. Rath, M.D., Washington Solomon Estren, M.D., New York Jean P. Souhier, M.D., Paris, France Ronald H. Girdw-ood, Ph.D., Ediub urgh, Ram#{243}n M. Su#{225}rez, M.D., San Juan,PuertoRico Scotland Timothy H. Talbot, Jr., M.D., Philadelphia Oliver P. Jones, Ph.D., Buffalo Philip F. Wagley, M.D., Baltimore Ian Welch, Johannesburg, South Africa BLOOD TRANSFUSION and BLOOD GROUPS BLOOD TRANSFUSION IN IRRADIATION hEMORRHAGE. J. G. Allen, C. E. Basinger, J. J. Landy, [If. H. Sanderson, and D. M. Enerson. From the Department of Surgery, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill. Science 115: 523-526, 1952. Among the findings following a near-lethal exposure to radiation are spontaneous bleeding and anemia. Because of the prominence of thrombocytopenia and anemia in the abnormal syndrome of irra(liation sickness, it w-as thought that frequent administration of fresh whole blood might be of considerable therapeutic value in the control or prevention of this type of hemorrhage. One hundred and seventy-three dogs were exposed to single doses of x-irradiation ttt the following dosage levels : 175, 225, 275, 325, 375, and 450 r. The animals were divided into two groups-one served as controls and the othler received the transfusions of citrated fresh whole blood three times a w-eek beginning on the fourth postirradiation day. The following studies were conducted on botil groups of allimals: (1) the w-hole blood clotting time; (2) the Quick one-step prothrombin time; (3) the erythrocyte, leukocyte, and thrombocyte counts; and (4) hemoglobin determinations. Transfusions did not increase the survival percentage over that of controls. Gross hemorrhages were found in the tissues at autopsy as frequently in the transfused (logs as in the nOlltrallsfUsed (logs. No significant or consistent drop in prothrombin activity w-as found in cit-her group of animals. Transfusions also failed to prevent or correct Postirradiatioll thrombocytopenia or leukopenia. In fact, the only benefit derived from the transfusion was a correction of the anemia. The authors also noted that many of the aninlals displayed symptoms of transfusion reactions. These reactions had not been found iii the nonirradiated dogs. In summary, frequent administration of fresh blood transfusions in dogs failed to improve the survival or ameliorate spontaneous bleeding after exposure to total body x-irradiation.-R.C.C. TILE Bi ooi VoI ulIE EXPANSION PRODUCED BY GELATIN, SERUM ALBUMIN, AND PLASMA. G. M. Hyde, N. I. Berlin, R. J. Parsons, and B. Whittington. From the Section on Experimental Medicine, Donner Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, and Pathology Laboratory, Highland-Alameda County Hospital, Oakland, Calif. Surg., Gynec. & Obst. 95: 657-660, 1952. Measurements of changes in blood volume were made after infusion of gelatin, serum albulnin, and plasma in twenty patients and a comparison drawn with the previously reported data on dextran. Of the various substances, dextran showed the greatest initial rise and maintained the longest effect. The initial rise with gelatin was not (luite as great nor as well maintained. Serum albumin showed an early sharp rise, follow-ed by a fall and For personal use only. on September 14, 2017. by guest www.bloodjournal.org From