In vitro effects of a novel hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier on routine chemistry, therapeutic drug, coagulation, hematology, and blood bank assays

Abstract

Abstract Red blood cell (RBC) replacement solutions are being developed as alternatives to allogeneic RBC use in blood transfusions in the treatment of massive trauma, to achieve hemodynamic stability during elective surgery, and to increase oxygen-carrying capacity in anemia. Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC)-201 (Biopure Corp.) is a purified, sterile, isosmotic glutaraldehyde-polymerized bovine hemoglobin. Because this product is acellular, blood components containing this substance appear hemolyzed. This study reports on the interferences produced by the presence of HBOC-201 in a variety of clinical assays. This product was added in vitro at concentrations up to 60 g/L (6.0 g/dL) to normal human serum, plasma, or whole blood before testing for serum chemistries, coagulation profiles, and hematology and blood bank assays. In addition, a set of normal human sera containing HBOC-201 was supplemented with various therapeutic drugs and assayed for these agents. The results of these studies demonstrate that the presence of HBOC-201 in blood components does not result in significant analytical interference that would be of concern with many clinical assays at HBOC-201 concentrations encountered during routine clinical use of this RBC replacement solution in patients.