Efficiency of Pre-Storage Leukoreduction of Red Cells: A Double Blind Quality Control Method, Transfusion medicine

White blood cell (WBC) reduction of whole blood (WB) with the use of in-line filters is a routine process at most blood centers in our country. The potential benefits by transfusing leukoreduced blood component are reduction in incidence of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions as well as risk of human leukocyte antigen alloimmunization and cytomegalovirus transmission. We retrospectively analysed the efficiency of pre-storage leukoreduction at our center. Our analysis showed the applicability of the double blind method to evaluate the efficiency of the Inline leukoreduction of red cells. In-line pre-storage leukoreduction achieved 4log reductions in WBC resulting in acceptable numbers of WBC in the filtered units.