Convalescent anti-SARS-CoV-2 plasma for the treatment of patients with COVID-19: a retrospective study RESCOVID-19.

Purpose: Convalescent plasma (CP) collected from people who recovered from COVID-19 became a rapidly available treatment modality in numerous countries, including the Czech Republic. The aims of our study were to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CP in the treatment of COVID-19.

Methods: This retrospective observational study involved six Czech hospitals.

Multiparametric analysis of the specific immune response against SARS-CoV-2.

Background: SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, has killed more than 7 million people worldwide. Understanding the development of postinfectious and postvaccination immune responses is necessary for effective treatment and the introduction of appropriate antipandemic measures.

Objectives: We analysed humoral and cell-mediated anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune responses to spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and open reading frame (O) proteins in individuals collected up to 1.

Multicentric evaluation of sensitivity of eight commercial anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays and their correlation to virus neutralization titers in seropositive subjects.

Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 virus is mainly based on direct detection. Determination of specific antibodies has been used mostly for epidemiological reasons. However, select immunoassays showed good correlation to plaque reduction virus neutralization test (PRNT) in smaller patient cohorts, which suggests their potential as predictors of virus neutralization titer.

Effects of pre-freeze pathogen reduction with riboflavin and UV light on red cells stored post-thaw in AS-3 additive solution.

Background: Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) may improve the safety of RBCs for transfusion. As the Czech Republic considers PRT, we asked what effects riboflavin and UV light PRT pre-freezing has on the post-thaw recovery and properties of cryopreserved RBCs (CRBCs) after deglycerolization and liquid storage.

Study Design And Methods: 24 Group O whole blood (WB) units were leukoreduced and then treated with riboflavin and UV light PRT (Mirasol, Terumo BCT, USA) before cryopreservation (T-CRBC); 20 similarly-collected units were untreated controls (C-CRBC).

Cryopreservation of apheresis platelets treated with riboflavin and UV light.

Background: Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) is increasingly used in the preparation of platelets for therapeutic transfusion. As the Czech Republic considers PRT, we asked what effects PRT may have on the recovery and function of platelets after cryopreservation (CP), which we use in both military and civilian blood settings.

Study Design And Methods: 16 Group O apheresis platelets units were treated with PRT (Mirasol, Terumo BCT, USA) before freezing; 15 similarly collected units were frozen without PRT as controls.

Use of unmanned aerial systems in the health care.

The use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) in the medical care, especially for the distribution of blood, laboratory samples, drugs and medical supplies is the subject of several research and practical pilot projects around the world with a wide perspective of use in civilian and military settings. For the purposes of medical service of troops, this is a suitable and promising solution for strengthening of pre-hospital care in advanced lines and in small combat task forces, which often operate in the rear of the enemy, in conditions of irregular warfare and difficult to access medevac. Deploying drones can effectively enhance the capabilities of mobile medical teams and at the same time life-saving prehospital healthcare concepts such as "remote damage control resuscitation" and "blood far forward".

Evaluation of platelet concentrates prepared from whole blood donations with collection times between 12 and 15 min: The BEST Collaborative study.

Background And Objectives: In many countries, whole blood (WB) donations with collection times between 12 and 15 min are not allowed to be used for platelet concentrates (PC). Since the development of guidelines, many process-related changes have been introduced. We aimed to determine the effect of WB with long collection times on PC quality.

NATO and evidence-based military and disaster medicine: case for Vigorous Warrior Live Exercise Series.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is the premier and only security alliance uniting 30 countries and growing with many partner states in the provision of collective security and against threats posed by conflict and natural disasters. Security of countries and communities is increasingly threatened by a broad spectrum of unconventional types of war and disease threats - from hybrid and asymmetric to multi-domain and peer-to-peer/near-peer conflict. The NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine (MILMED COE) is the centre of gravity for medical best practices and promotion of medical doctrine across the NATO alliance.

Production and use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 treatment, taking into account the experience in the Central Millitary Hospital Prague.

One of the available treatment alternatives for COVID-19 is the administration of convalescent plasma (CP), blood plasma obtained from people who have undergone the disease. Administration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in plasma is a method of passive specific immunization with an expected therapeutic response. CP can also be used for production a specific immunoglobulin.

Re-introducing whole blood for transfusion: considerations for blood providers.

Whole blood is the original blood preparation but disappeared from the blood bank inventories in the 1980s following the advent of component therapy. In the early 2000s, both military and civilian practice called for changes in the transfusion support for massive haemorrhage. The 'clear fluid' policy was abandoned and replaced by early balanced transfusion of platelets, plasma and red cells.

Emergency Supply Policy of Cryopreserved RBC and PLT: The Czech Republic Concept.

Supply of blood for urgent substitution is a strategic logistical problem for the military medical services across the world. The limited shelf life of blood- derived bioproductsin the liquid state and the need for special transport and use conditions, apart from donor and donations availability are among the causes for concern. To solve these problems many national health-care authorities implemented the national emergency blood crisis policy, to get a large amount of blood at any time at any place in the case of disaster, terrorist attack or war.

Optimizing the supply of whole blood-derived bioproducts through the combined implementation of cryopreservation and pathogen reduction technologies and practices: An overview.

The essential historical knowledge and expertise developed over the past 5-6 decades on the safety / efficacy of conventional blood components therapy by blood transfusion establishments have guided the development of validated methods which have ensure optimal safety margins for frozen blood and its bioproducts with or even without pathogen reduction. Newer generations of pathogen reduced frozen red blood cell, plasma and platelet products and the standardised and safer pooling of human platelet lysate are now become available for potential clinical use. These types of whole blood-derived bioproducts not only reduce the risk of transmission of range of pathogenic blood-borne pathogen.

Variations in hemoglobin measurement and eligibility criteria across blood donation services are associated with differing low-hemoglobin deferral rates: a BEST Collaborative study.

Background: Determination of blood donor hemoglobin (Hb) levels is a pre-requisite to ensure donor safety and blood product quality. We aimed to identify Hb measurement practices across blood donation services and to what extent differences associate with low-Hb deferral rates.

Methods: An online survey was performed among Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative members, extended with published data.

Comparison of titer results obtained using immediate spin one-dilution techniques to a reference method.

Background: Many transfusion services determine the titer of potentially incompatible plasma-containing products by performing a one-dilution titer at their selected titer threshold. This study compared the results of immediate spin (IS) one-dilution titers determined by three methods with a reference standard method.

Methods: Plasma-containing products from group A and O donors were titered using the participant's routine IS one-dilution titer method.

The use of cryopreserved platelets in the treatment of polytraumatic patients and patients with massive bleeding.

Background: The short shelf-life of fresh platelets limits their efficient inventory management and availability during a massive transfusion protocol. Risk of insufficient availability can be mitigated by building an inventory of cryopreserved platelets (CPs).

Methods: A comparative study of fresh apheresis platelets (FAPs) and CPs was performed.

NATO Blood Panel perspectives on changes to military prehospital resuscitation policies: current and future practice.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Blood Panel exists to promote interoperability of transfusion practice between NATO partners. However, it has served as an important forum for the development of prehospital transfusion and transfusion in the austere environment. There are synergies with the trauma hemostasis and oxygen research community especially in the areas of innovation and research.

FY*A silencing by the GATA-motif variant FY*A(-69C) in a Caucasian family.

Background: The c.1-67C variant polymorphism in a GATA motif of the FY promoter is known to result in erythroid-specific FY silencing, that is, in Fy(a-) and Fy(b-) phenotypes. A Caucasian donor presented with the very rare Fy(a-b-) phenotype and was further investigated.

In vitro parameters of cryopreserved leucodepleted and non-leucodepleted red blood cells collected by apheresis or from whole blood and stored in AS-3 for 21 days after thawing.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the in vitro quality of cryopreserved red blood cells obtained from different sources with or without leucodepletion and stored at 4±2 °C in AS-3 for up to 21 days.

Materials And Methods: Red blood cells were collected by four methods: double erythrocytapheresis, whole blood collection with buffy coat removal, double erythrocytapheresis with in-line leucofiltration, or whole blood collection with in-line leucofiltration. All four types of red blood cells were frozen in 40% glycerol after collection and stored at a temperature below -65 °C for at least 30 days, thawed, deglycerolised and subsequently reconstituted in AS-3.

Quality evaluation of frozen apheresis red blood cell storage with 21-day postthaw storage in additive solution 3 and saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol: biochemical and chromium-51 recovery measures.

Background: The Czech Republic decided to build the frozen red blood cell (RBC) bank for military contingency and civil emergency preparedness. Storage methods were validated with (51)Cr recovery measures out to 21 days postthaw.

Study Design And Methods: A total of 139 apheresis RBC units collected in additive solution (additive solution 3 [AS-3] or saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol [SAG-M]) were obtained from volunteers by double erythrocytapheresis; all were sterilely glycerolized, frozen, stored for at least 30 days at a minimum of -65 degrees C in collection or cryogenic bags, thawed, sterilely deglycerolized, and stored at 4 +/- 2 degrees C for up to 21 days in AS-3 or SAG-M.