A multi-centre study of therapeutic efficacy and safety of platelet components treated with amotosalen and ultraviolet A pathogen inactivation stored for 6 or 7 d prior to transfusion.

Bacteria in platelet components (PC) may result in transfusion-related sepsis (TRS). Pathogen inactivation of PC with amotosalen (A-PC) can abrogate the risk of TRS and hence facilitate storage to 7 d. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of A-PC stored for 6-7 d was conducted.

Pathogen reduction of fresh plasma using riboflavin and ultraviolet light: effects on plasma coagulation proteins.

Background: Treatment with riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light reduces the pathogens present in blood components. This study assessed changes to the coagulation proteins that had occurred during this treatment of fresh plasma units before freezing.

Study Design And Methods: Twenty fresh plasma units (230 +/- 30 mL) were treated by the Mirasol process (CaridianBCT Biotechnologies) and frozen within 8 hours of donation.

What type of information is trusted by whom? A multilevel analysis of the stability of the information source-trust association for blood transfusion.

Background: It has been suggested that transfusion information from scientific sources (vs. popular sources) is seen as more trustworthy and that interventions should consider using scientific styles. Before such suggestions can be implemented, it is necessary to know if this science source-trust link is observed across different sociodemographic groups and psychological characteristics.

Human platelets as a substrate source for the in vitro amplification of the abnormal prion protein (PrP) associated with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Background: Four recent cases of transfusion-related transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) highlight the need to develop a highly sensitive and specific screening test to detect infectivity in the blood of asymptomatic infected individuals. Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA), a method for the amplification of minute amounts of disease-associated abnormal prion protein (PrP(Sc)) to readily detectable levels, could be incorporated into such a test provided that a suitable substrate source for routine use in human PMCA reactions can be found.

Study Design And Methods: With the use of seed sources from individuals with variant and sporadic CJD, the use of human platelets (PLTs) as a PMCA substrate source was evaluated.

Freezing of buffy coat-derived, leukoreduced platelet concentrates in 6 percent dimethyl sulfoxide.

Background: There has recently been renewed interest in freezing platelets (PLTs) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for the treatment of major traumatic injuries, especially in military situations. This study examined PLTs that were frozen in small volumes of 6 percent DMSO at -80 degrees C.

Study Design And Methods: Buffy coat-derived pooled leukoreduced PLT concentrates were frozen in 6 percent DMSO and stored at -80 degrees C.

alpha-Hemoglobin stabilizing protein is not a suitable marker for a screening test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Background: A test is needed to identify blood donors who are in the preclinical phase of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). alpha-Hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP; syn. ERAF, EDRF) transcript levels are reduced in the blood of mice incubating transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

The effects of leukodepletion on the generation and removal of microvesicles and prion protein in blood components.

Background: Universal leukodepletion (LD) has been implemented in the United Kingdom to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. If LD causes microvesiculation of blood cells, however, potentially infectious membrane-associated prion could reach the final products.

Study Design And Methods: We have measured microvesicles (MV) derived from red cells (RBC-MV), platelets (PLT-MV), and white blood cells (WBC-MV) and cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) in blood components produced by four whole-blood, five RBC, three PLT, and two plasma LD filters and three plateletpheresis techniques.

Platelet storage solution affects on the accuracy of laboratory tests for platelet function: a multi-laboratory study.

Background And Objectives: Extent of shape change (ESC) and hypotonic shock response (HSR) have been widely used to characterize the in vitro function of platelets and have been shown to correlate with in vivo viability. These assays have been routinely performed using platelet-poor plasma (PPP) as the test sample diluent. Because of the increasing popularity of storing platelets in synthetic media, it is important to understand the effects of using these synthetic media as test diluents for ESC and HSR measurements.

The effect of methylene blue photoinactivation and methylene blue removal on the quality of fresh-frozen plasma.

Background: T: he effects of using fresh or frozen-thawed plasma, WBC reduction of plasma before freezing, and the use of two different methylene blue (MB) removal filters on the quality of MB-treated plasma were compared.

Study Design And Methods: In a paired study (n = 11/arm) plasma was frozen within 8 hours of collection, thawed, MB photoinactivated, and then filtered using one of two MB removal filters. Fresh plasma (n = 16) and plasma WBC reduced before freezing (n = 19) were MB inactivated.