Whole blood derived and apheresis platelets: Opinions and preferences-the results of a national survey of blood collectors.

Introduction: Currently greater than 94% of the US platelet supply is collected by apheresis. A survey to determine the attitudes of members of America's Blood Centers (ABC) toward whole blood derived (WBD) platelets was designed in light of current platelet supply issues.

Methods: An on-line survey was distributed to medical directors of the 47 ABC members.

Cold stored platelets - Increasing understanding and acceptance.

Platelet transfusions decreased the risk of morbidity and mortality secondary to thrombocytopenia. This therapy not only ameliorates platelet loss in bleeding patients,but also those with acquired dysfunction of platelets. The current standard of practice worldwide is to provide room temperature platelets (RTPs); however, there are many disadvantages to the use of RTPs such that alternative approaches have been explored.

Using automation to manage donor engagement and fine-tune supply and demand during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 disrupted blood center operations starting March 2020 and continues to affect donor presentation and blood availability today. The industry mobilized significant resources to collect COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) to treat COVID-19 patients. At the same time, blood centers continued to collect platelets, plasma, and red blood cells (RBCs) to meet the needs of non-COVID-19 patients.

Survey of blood centre readiness regarding removal of DEHP from blood bag sets: The BEST Collaborative Study.

Background And Objectives: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) must be removed from blood bag sets in Europe by 27 May 2025. DEHP is known to interact with the red blood cell (RBC) membrane, resulting in reduced haemolysis and thus prolonging shelf-life. Current non-DEHP alternatives result in increased haemolysis requiring reconsideration of the RBC shelf-life.

Incorporating the entity of under-transfusion into hemovigilance monitoring: Documenting cases due to lack of inventory.

Background: Under-transfusion is an underreported entity within most hospitals and hemovigilance systems. While critical blood shortages are being reported more frequently, without incident codes to document instances of under-transfusion due to lack of inventory, estimating its impact on patient care as it relates to hemotherapy (HT) has hampered our ability to assess and inform strategic initiatives to combat inventory issues as well as prepare for future blood supply threats.

Study Design And Method: An 11-member working group of the AABB (Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies) Hemovigilance Committee was formed in October 2020 to study the topic of under-transfusion including its potential causes and clinical expressions.

Platelet aggregation in whole blood is not impaired by a platelet-sparing leukoreduction filter and instead depends upon the presence of leukocytes.

Background: Recent studies characterizing in vitro hemostatic properties of whole blood (WB) leukoreduced (LR) with a platelet-sparing filter have described subtle, if any, changes to viscoelastic clotting; however, reductions in platelet (PLT) content and impedance aggregometry (IA) responses have been noted. The effects of filtration of WB (i.e.

In vitro and in vivo quality of leukoreduced apheresis platelets stored in a new platelet additive solution.

Background: Platelets (PLTs) stored in additive solutions (PASs) may reduce the risk of several plasma-associated adverse transfusion reactions such as allergic reactions and potentially transfusion-associated lung injury. The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro characteristics and the in vivo radiolabeled recovery and survival of apheresis PLTs (APs) stored in a new PAS and compare the latter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) criteria.

Study Design And Methods: Hyperconcentrated APs were collected from healthy subjects in a paired crossover study comparing PAS (35% plasma) and 100% plasma-stored APs (Part 1) up to 7 days and, in Part 2, to determine the in vivo recovery and survival of PAS stored AP at 5 days compared to fresh PLT controls.