Volume 39, Issue 2 pp. 149-155

Measurement of circulating red cell volume using biotin-labeled red cells: validation against 51Cr-labeled red cells

Donald Mock MD, PhD

Corresponding Author

Donald Mock MD, PhD

Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology

Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202.

Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202.Search for more papers by this author
Gary L. Lankford BS

Gary L. Lankford BS

Research Associate

Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 800 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202.

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John A. Widness MD

John A. Widness MD

Professor

Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA.

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Leon F. Burmeister PhD

Leon F. Burmeister PhD

Professor of Biostatics

Department of Preventative Medicine, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA.

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Daniel Kahn MD

Daniel Kahn MD

Associate Professor

Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, College of Medicine; and Chief, Nuclear Medicine Services, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA.

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Ronald G. Strauss MD

Ronald G. Strauss MD

Medical Director

DeGowin Blood Center, Iowa City, Iowa; and Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA.

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First published: 19 December 2002
Citations: 46

Supported in part by grant no. PO1 HL46925 from the National Institutes of Health and grant no. RR00059 from the National Institutes of Health through the General Clinical Research Center, University of Iowa.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a serious problem in the fetus and preterm infant. To investigate the physiology and pathophysiology of anemia and to assess responses to blood transfusions or erythropoietin therapy, measurement of circulating red cell volume would be useful. Because the standard 51Cr method exposes the subject to radiation, a method of measuring circulating red cell volume without radiation exposure, sufficiently sensitive for use in fetuses and infants, was developed.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In 10 healthy adults whose body mass ranged from 56.8 to 115.9 kg, aliquots of autologous red cells were labeled with biotin or with 51Cr, mixed, and transfused intravenously. Circulating red cell volume was measured in posttransfusion blood by quantitating the in vivo dilution of biotinylated red cells. Biotinylated red cells were detected by two methods: 1) 125I-streptavidin and 2) fluorescein-labeled avidin with flow cytometry.

RESULTS: Circulating red cell volume measured by 125I- streptavidin detection agreed well with that measured by 51Cr (slope = 1.07, y-intercept = −97, correlation = 0.987). Similarly, circulating red cell volume measured by flow cytometry agreed well with that measured by 51Cr (slope = 1.05, y-intercept = −20, correlation = 0.987).

CONCLUSIONS: Circulating red cell volume measured by the use of biotin with either 125I-streptavidin or flow cytometry agrees with that measured by 51Cr. Each system provides a method of performing these studies without exposing the subject to radiation.

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