The goal of the present study was to determine the efficacy of reducing the number of leukocytes in autologous blood before storage. The study sample consisted of 121 patients undergoing orthopedic surgery and scheduled to receive up to 1,200 mL autologous blood. They were divided into prestorage leukocyte reduction and no-reduction groups. Body temperature, white blood cell counts, red blood cell counts, and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were compared after operation. Thirteen of 121

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... were excluded from comparison due to rheumatic etiology. Results showed no significant difference in efficiency between the leukocyte-reduced (n=46) and non-reduced (n=62) groups. The leukocyte reduction group showed slightly lower CRP levels for 48 h after surgery than the noreduction group. The benefits of prestorage leukocyte reduction of autologous blood remains to be elucidated.