We have added a study by Julija Rabcuka, John Fallon, Athinoula Meli and colleagues to our transplant-related evidence collection. Published in the March 2026 issue of Blood Red Cells & Iron, it examines the functional effects of hypoxic storage on donor red blood cells (RBCs) in perfused human kidneys.
What the researchers measured
Donor RBC units were divided between conventional and hypoxic storage for approximately three weeks. During normothermic ex vivo kidney perfusion, switching to hypoxically stored RBCs reversibly increased renal respiratory rate by approximately 20% and oxygen diffusion capacity by approximately 70%. These percentages describe two distinct measurements in the reported experiment.
Why we added this study
The work connects RBC storage conditions with oxygen handling at the organ level. For transplant research, it provides a reason to characterize the functional properties of a perfusate alongside its composition and the conditions under which an organ is supported.
Our scientific analysis of hypoxic RBC storage and kidney oxygen delivery explains the study design, reported findings and questions for further functional assessment.
This is external donor RBC evidence from isolated human kidneys. Clinical transplant outcomes and BHOC-specific performance require separate studies.
Read the analysis and source
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Open the evidence record and study limits ↗
Read the original publication ↗
Rabcuka J, Fallon J, Meli A, et al. Storage under hypoxia improves the ability of red cells to release oxygen in ex vivo-perfused human kidneys. Blood Red Cells & Iron. 2026;2(1):100038. DOI: 10.1016/j.brci.2025.100038.
Study summary based on the publisher abstract and DOI bibliographic record. The linked analysis sets out the scope of our source review.