S-nitrosylation boon to blood transfusions

Red blood cell transfusions are among the most commonly performed medical procedures, but the capacity of the transfused cells to transport oxygen is often reduced because of biochemical changes in the cells during storage. Now, Case Western Reserve University and Duke University Medical Center researchers have improved oxygen delivery capacity by re-nitrosylating hemoglobin prior to transfusion.¹

The researchers are planning a series of clinical trials to determine whether the procedure can decrease the incidence of transfusion-related adverse events compared with the current standard of care and potentially improve patient outcomes...