Biotin-RBC Transfusion in SCD

This is a single-arm, mechanistic clinical trial to measure predictors of senescence and the in vivo survival of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) receiving chronic transfusion therapy (CTT). Chronic transfusion in patients with SCD is a common treatment. The efficacy of RBC transfusion therapy to treat or prevent complications of SCD may be hampered by variable survival of the transfused donor RBC. The overall aim is to see how long RBC survive in SCD patients who are chronically transfused. When a study participant has a regular blood transfusion the researchers will label a small portion of the RBCs that are transfused with biotin. The participant will return at Day 1, weekly for 3 months and monthly for 3 months to measure how long those RBCs survive. An optional sub-study using INTERCEPT RBCs will mirror the main study but will use INTERCEPT RBCs that have biotinylated for 1 RBC unit.