X-Message-Number: 1309 Subject: CRYONICS Blood Usage Advice From: (Edgar W. Swank) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 92 13:55:57 PDT Distribution: Extropians <> Cryonet <> I found the following posted in the RIME Medical Conference by one Mike Jones. I thought it would be of interest to all of you interested in life extension. It seems to be counter- productive to ask close relatives to donate blood in an attempt to avoid possibly AIDS or otherwise contaminated blood from the general blood supply. It may still be a good idea, when you can plan ahead, to donate your *own* blood in advance of elective surgery, etc. =============================================================== Saw this interesting note that thought you might enjoy. FAMILY BLOOD CAN KILL The Japan Red Cross Society is "calling on doctors to do their utmost to avoid transfusion blood donated by family members, especially when the donor is the recipient's parent or child," says ASAHI SHIMBUN. Using blood donated by family members, says the Red Cross report, can trigger GVHD (Graft-Versus-Host Disease), a disorder that occurs when the lymphocytes in transfused blood attack the bone marrow, liver, and skin of the recipient. The body's immune system is affected, and the death rate is high. Additionally, a strong warning against using fresh blood is included in the report because of the discovery that blood used with-in 72 hours of being donated can also cause GVHD. The report is based on an extensive two-year study of the hundreds of patients diagnosed ah having GVHD and on a survey of 14,083 doctors. Nearly half of the doctors believed that GVHD occurs only when the body's immunity has deteriorated and that the malady is unrelated to blood transfusions......but they were mistaken. Mike --- * The Old Town BBS * Yuma, AZ. * (602)344-2621 * 14.4 HST -- (Edgar W. Swank) SPECTROX SYSTEMS +1.408.252.1005 Silicon Valley, Ca Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1309