11/5/2023 0 Comments O negative blood donationIn the same way that Christmas puddings occasionally include cherries, 10% of the population have Kell antigens – everyone else has Kell negative blood. The Kell factor refers to an antigen (a protein which brings on an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies) that's attached to the membrane of red blood cells. One of these different classifications is Kell. However it’s actually only one of 35 different ways of classifying human blood according to different elements within it. What is Kell neg blood?Īs most blood donors know, the ABO system, with its four (A, B, AB and O) different blood types, is the most common way of classifying blood. It is also used for women of childbearing age. O neg, Kell neg, CMV neg, 'rr' blood is used in emergencies, and transfused to those with unformed or weakened immune systems - for example babies, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and those with immunodeficiency conditions. Who needs O neg, kell neg, CMV neg, 'rr' blood? And it gives the most defenceless patients in Scotland the very best chance of survival. If we have ever got in touch with you to tell you your O negative (O neg) blood is also Kell negative (Kell neg), CMV negative (CMV neg) and 'rr', this means your blood is very rare, very special, and very much in demand, because it’s the least likely to have a bad reaction if transfused – the nut-free, dairy-free, and probably gluten-free pudding of the blood product world. This is why it is vital that hospitals around the country have stock of 'high spec' blood products – blood donated by a small set of donors which fulfil a very precise set of criteria, and is the safest that can be given to certain vulnerable patients. In the same way, although all blood comprises three basic parts (red cells, plasma and platelets), each donation of blood has a slightly different 'recipe' which means that although the end product is in essence the same, there are lots of tiny elements within it which can affect how well a patient reacts to a transfusion. They're all Christmas puddings, with the same base ingredients of fat, flour and sugar, but with added extras which can react differently with those who eat them. These days, you get all sorts of Christmas puddings – ones with hidden orange, ones with figs, even ones with chocolate. But given the time of year, they’re a good metaphor for explaining something which can get pretty complicated – and for some patients, extremely important. While 38% of the American population is eligible to give blood, only 2% actually donates.What do Christmas puddings and blood types have in common? Well, on the face of it, not a lot.Type AB plasma can be transfused to patients with all other blood types, but it's also in short supply.Type O-negative whole blood can be transfused to people with any blood type, but this type of blood is rare, and supplies of it are low.More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.Many of them will need blood-sometimes daily-during chemotherapy. More than 1 million people every year are diagnosed with cancer for the first time.The average red blood cell transfusion is 3 pints (or 3 whole-blood donations).Just 1 donation can save up to 3 lives.Those who are hesitant about donating blood for the first time often find that the donation process is easy and that saving lives is deeply gratifying. Patients in need of blood or blood products must rely on donations from people like you. There are no substitutes for blood, platelets or plasma-they cannot be manufactured.
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