Timely administration of tocilizumab improves outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of early tocilizumab treatment for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease.

Methods: Open-label randomized phase II clinical trial investigating tocilizumab in patients with proven COVID-19 admitted to the general ward and in need of supplemental oxygen. The primary endpoint of the study was 30-day mortality with a prespecified 2-sided significance level of α = 0.

Local and Systemic Immunity against Respiratory Syncytial Virus Induced by a Novel Intranasal Vaccine. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

Needle-free intranasal vaccines offer major potential advantages, especially against pathogens entering via mucosal surfaces. As yet, there is no effective vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a ubiquitous pathogen of global importance that preferentially infects respiratory epithelial cells; new strategies are urgently required. Here, we report the safety and immunogenicity of a novel mucosal RSV F protein vaccine linked to an immunostimulatory bacterium-like particle (BLP).

Comparison of cryopreservation bags for hematopoietic progenitor cells using a WBC-enriched product.

Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) are stored in cryopreservation bags that are resistant to liquid nitrogen. Since Cryocyte bags of Baxter (B-bags) are no longer available, an alternative bag was sought. Also, the influence of freezing volume was studied.

Is hydroxyethyl starch necessary for sedimentation of bone marrow?

Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is used to separate hematopoietic progenitor cells after bone marrow (BM) collection from red blood cells. The aims were to study alternatives for HAES-steril (200 kDa; not available anymore) and to optimize the sedimentation process. Using WBC-enriched product (10 × 10(9) WBC/L), instead of BM, sedimentation at 10% hematocrit using final 0.

Optimization of the freezing process for hematopoietic progenitor cells: effect of precooling, initial dimethyl sulfoxide concentration, freezing program, and storage in vapor-phase or liquid nitrogen on in vitro white blood cell quality.

Background: Adding dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) causes an exothermic reaction, potentially affecting their viability. The freezing method might also influence this. The aim was to investigate the effect of 1) precooling of DMSO and plasma (D/P) and white blood cell (WBC)-enriched product, 2) DMSO concentration of D/P, 3) freezing program, and 4) storage method on WBC quality.

Implementation of a new platelet pooling system for platelet concentrates led to a higher corrected count increment after transfusion: a comparative observational study of platelet concentrates before and after implementation.

Objectives: To study the effect of extended storage of platelet concentrates (PCs) and the implementation of a new platelet pooling system for PCs on corrected count increment (CCI) after transfusion.

Background: Due to new developments and changes in processes or procedures, one should remain alert for the effects of these changes. Besides in vitro studies and validation, in vivo studies are also important, as it has been shown that in vitro results do not always predict in vivo outcomes.

A positive effect of immune suppression on corrected count increment after platelet transfusion at 1 but not at 24h.

The effects of patient characteristics on corrected count increment (CCI) in hemato-oncology patients were studied. CCI values were 13.6 ± 6.

Noninvasive pH monitoring of platelet concentrates: a large field test.

Background: Developing new quality control methods for platelet concentrates (PCs) can contribute to increasing transfusion safety and efficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate in a large field test the quality of expired PCs and whether 100% noninvasive pH monitoring can be used to predict PC quality.

Study Design And Methods: The pH of 13,693 PCs produced for transfusion was monitored daily using Blood Storage, Inc.

Allogeneic single-donor cryoseal produced from fresh-frozen quarantine apheresis plasma as alternative for multidonor or autologous fibrin sealants.

Background: Fibrin sealant is a human blood product consisting of two components: cryoprecipitate and thrombin. Commercial fibrin sealants are produced from multidonors, increasing the viral risk, and contain fibrinolytic inhibitors such as tranexamic acid or bovine aprotinin. Autologous fibrin sealants reduce the viral risk and are mostly produced during a surgical procedure or well in advance.

Hemolysis of red blood cells during processing and storage.

Background: During processing and storage, red blood cells (RBCs) undergo changes and cell injury resulting in hemolysis. Mostly, the separation of whole blood in top-and-bottom quadruple bag systems with break openings takes less than 4 minutes. However, longer separation times are not uncommon.

Platelet concentrates from fresh or overnight-stored blood, an international study.

Background: Whole blood and also buffy coats (BCs) can be held for a few hours or overnight before processing into blood components or platelet concentrates (PCs). Individual studies have reported a range of outcomes regarding in vitro variables for PCs prepared from fresh and stored whole blood. In this multicenter study, effects of storage of whole blood or BCs on the in vitro quality of PCs were studied.

Is red blood cell rheology preserved during routine blood bank storage?

Background: Red blood cell (RBC) units stored for more than 2 weeks at 4 degrees C are currently considered of impaired quality. This opinion has primarily been based on altered RBC rheologic properties (i.e.

Counting platelets in platelet concentrates on hematology analyzers: a multicenter comparative study.

Background: Hematology analyzers are designed to count whole blood samples, but are also used by blood centers to perform quality control on blood components. In platelet (PLT) concentrates, the number of PLTs is approximately fivefold higher and red blood cells are absent, causing variable PLT counting results. It was our aim to compare currently used hematology analyzers for counting PLTs in PLT concentrates using fixed human PLTs.

Platelet capacity of various platelet pooling systems for buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates.

Background: Platelet (PLT) storage lesions might depend on the total PLT count in the storage container and also on the PLT pooling system, especially the storage container, that is used for preparation of PLT concentrates (PCs). In this study, the PLT capacity of four commercially available PLT pooling systems was studied.

Materials And Methods: Four PCs were prepared in pooling systems of Baxter, Fresenius, Terumo, or Pall.

Overnight or fresh buffy coat-derived platelet concentrates prepared with various platelet pooling systems.

Background: For logistic reasons, possibilities to produce both platelet (PLT) concentrates prepared from fresh or overnight-stored whole blood (fresh and o/n PCs, respectively) are convenient. The consequences of both possibilities are not well described. The PLT pooling system used might also influence the condition of PCs.

Platelet counting in platelet concentrates with various automated hematology analyzers.

Background: Hematology analyzers use impedance, optical, and/or immunologic techniques for counting platelets (PLTs). PLT counting in whole blood has been validated thoroughly; however, this is not the case for PLT counting in PLT concentrates (PCs), in which red cells (RBCs) are absent. Therefore, this study is focused on PLT counting in PCs to study use of ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), carryover, and accuracy of the analyzers.

White blood cell fragments in platelet concentrates prepared by the platelet-rich plasma or buffy-coat methods.

Background And Objectives: White blood cell (WBC) fragments in platelet concentrates (PCs) may induce allo-immunization in the recipient.

Materials And Methods: As the level of WBC fragments can differ between PCs produced using different methods, we compared PCs prepared by using the buffy-coat method (BC-PCs) in plasma or platelet additive solution (Composol) and PCs prepared using the platelet-rich plasma method (PRP-PCs).

Results: Post-filtration results revealed identical levels of WBC, but significantly higher CD62p expression and a significantly lower amount of total DNA, cell-free DNA and number of WBC fragments (0.

Correlation between the extent of platelet activation in platelet concentrates and in vitro and in vivo parameters.

Background And Objectives: Platelet activation, which is necessary to stop bleeding, also occurs in vitro during the storage of platelet concentrates (PCs). However, it is unknown whether in vitro-activated platelets are able to reduce blood loss in the patient. We studied correlations between platelet activation in PCs and in vitro parameters (pH, platelet count, swirling effect, storage time).

Development of white blood cell fragments, during the preparation and storage of platelet concentrates, as measured by using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Background And Objectives: White blood cell (WBC) fragments may cause human leucocyte antigen (HLA) immunization in recipients. We investigated the occurrence and production of WBC fragments in platelet concentrates (PCs) and plasma units, during storage and filtration, by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cytometry.

Materials And Methods: To study the occurrence of WBC fragments, 'male' WBCs were spiked into double-filtered 'female' PCs in a concentration series of 0.

Multicenter evaluation of two flow cytometric methods for counting low levels of white blood cells.

Background: Flow cytometric methods can be used to count residual white blood cells (WBCs) in WBC-reduced blood products, which should contain fewer than 1 x 10(6) WBCs per unit (approximately 3.3 WBCs/ microL). In this study two flow cytometric methods for counting WBCs under routine conditions in nine laboratories were evaluated.

Influence of cell-free DNA in plasma on real-time polymerase chain reaction for determination of residual leucocytes in platelet concentrates.

Background And Objectives: Real-time quantitative (RQ) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used to determine the number of residual leucocytes in leucocyte-reduced platelet concentrates (LR-PCs), which should contain < 3.3 leucocytes/ micro l. In this study we investigated the extent to which cell-free DNA, known to be present in plasma, might interfere with this determination.

In vivo PLT increments after transfusions of WBC-reduced PLT concentrates stored for up to 7 days.

Background: Bacterial screening and improvement of storage conditions of leukoreduced PLT concentrates (LR-PCs) allows extension of their storage period from 5 to 7 days.

Study Design And Methods: For in vitro studies, 40 LR-PCs made from five buffy coats and plasma were studied for 8 days. For in vivo studies, routinely produced LR-PCs stored for 2 to 7 days after blood collection were administered to clinically stable thrombocytopenic patients.

Comparison of various dimethylsulphoxide-containing solutions for cryopreservation of leucoreduced platelet concentrates.

Background And Objectives: Leucoreduced platelet concentrates (LR-PCs) can be stored at 20-24 degrees C for 5-7 days. When LR-PCs are cryopreserved they can be stored for several years. For cryopreservation to become applicable in blood-bank practice, an off-the-shelf cryoprotectant is needed that can be added to the LR-PC in a sterile manner.

Crossover study of three methods for low-level white blood cell counting on two types of flow cytometer.

Background: Flow cytometric methods were previously shown to be preferable to microscopic and volumetric methods for counting residual white blood cells (WBCs). In this study, three flow cytometric, low-level WBC counting methods were cross compared using two flow cytometers.

Methods: Double-filtered red cell and platelet concentrates were spiked with different amounts of WBC to obtain panels of unspiked and 0.