Abstract :
Background: The complete blood count is one of the most common routine tests. This study
aimed to evaluate possible effects of the antioxidant taurine on the complete blood count of whole
blood stored at room temperature and at 4°C over three days.
Methods: Venous blood samples of 15 healthy males were distributed into two sets of tubes with
each set of three tubes containing 50 ?L of solutions with zero, 5 g/L, 10 g/L taurine. The tubes
were kept at room temperature or at 4°C. Complete blood counts were performed on three
successive days. The mean percentage changes [? = (mean value - mean baseline value) / mean
baseline value x 100] were calculated and compared.
Results: Complete blood count parameters exhibited different patterns of behaviour which were
affected by the storage temperature, time and taurine concentration. Taurine at room temperature
significantly enhanced the stability of: the platelet count over three days (?3 at 5 and 10 g/L taurine
were 6.18, and 2.53 x 109 cells/L, respectively); the red blood cell count over three days (?3 at 5
and 10 g/L taurine were 2.59, and 1.39 x 1012 cells/L, respectively); mean corpuscular
haemoglobin over three days (?3 at 5 and 10 g/L taurine were,-0.62 and -0.52 fl respectively); and
red cell distribution width over two days (?2 at 5 and 10 g/L taurine were 1.30% and -0.1%,
respectively). No additional stabilizing effects of taurine were reported for the mean corpuscular
volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration,
haematocrit and haemoglobin, while it negatively affected the white blood cell stability.
Conclusion: Complete blood count parameters exhibited variable stability patterns in respect to
temperature, time and taurine concentration.
Keyword :
Blood preservation; Taurine/blood; Platelet count; Antioxidants; Cold temperature