Objective To study effects of allogeneic blood transfusion on the level of cytokines in esophageal cancer patients.Methods Serum IFN ?,TNF ? and IL 10 of 18 esophageal cancer patients undergoing transthoracic esophageal resection who were exposed to allogeneic transfusions(non leukoreduced)were measured to compare with those of 16 similar patients undergoing same operations who were exposed to leukodepleted blood in the perioperative period.Results Serum TNF ?, IFN ?, and IL 10 levels in patients exposed to nonleukoreduced allogeneic transfusions increased on the first day after transfusion,with the latter two cytokines showing significant elevation( P

Objective To test HBV DNA by using PCR-microfluidic chip assay. Methods Pooled sera ( 5?50ul ) negative for ELISA serological tests were tested for HBV DNA using PCR-microfluidic chips assay. Individual donor samples were tested if the pooled sera were positive. The sensitivity of PCR-microfluidic chips assay was determined by serial dilutions of the standard control serum. The specificity of PCR-microfludic chips assay was also determined by testing 56 various serum samples. Serial dilutions of the standard control sera were tested repeatedly for understanding the inter- and intra-assay variation of this method. Results Seven of 545 nonrenumerated donors (1.28%) were found positive for HBV DNA. The sensitivity of PCR-microfluidic chips assay was 4.81?102copies/ml. The HBV DNA was positive for all 37 samples from HBeAg positive patients. The HBV DNA tests of samples from HCV RNA positive patients, anti-HAV IgM positive patients were all negative. The inter- and intra assay CV ranges were 15.6%~40.2% and 11.9%~30.6% respectively. Conclusion It is necessary to test HBV DNA for improving blood safety and it is feasible to test pooled serum samples for HBV DNA by PCR-microfluidic chips assay, because it is convenient, time-saving, sensitive, specific and the results are reproducible.