summary. The goal of this research was to study the safety and the efficacy of transfusing citrate‐phosphate‐adenine anticoagulant‐preservative (CPDA‐1) RBC stored for up to 28 days to reduce donor exposures in premature infants. A prospective randomized two‐group study was conducted with very low‐birth‐weight premature infants that received at least one RBC transfusion during hospital stay. Neonates randomly assigned to Group 1 (26 infants) were transfused with CPDA‐1 RBC stored for up to 28 days; those assigned to Group 2 (26 infants) received CPDA‐1 RBC stored for up to 3 days. Demographic and transfusion‐related data were collected. Neonates from both groups showed similar demographics and clinical characteristics. The number of transfusions per infant transfused was 4·4 ± 4·0 in Group 1 and 4·2 ± 3·1 in Group 2, and the number of donors per infant transfused was 1·5 ± 0·8 (Group 1) and 4·3 ± 3·4 (Group 2), P < 0·001. RBC transfusions containing 29·7 ± 18·3 mmol L−1 of potassium (RBC stored for up to 28 days) did not cause clinical or biochemical changes and reduced donor exposures by 70·2%, compared to transfusions containing 19·8 ± 12·3 mmol L−1 of potassium (RBC stored for up to 3 days), P < 0·001. In conclusion, RBC stored for up to 28 days safely reduced donor exposures in premature infants.
