Pilot trials of PDF symbology as a means of transfering data on blood units between transfusion centres.

PDF 417, a two-dimensional barcode, was used as a portable data file to transfer key information on blood units and delivery documentation between two Regional Blood Transfusion Centres. Multiple Codabar messages currently displayed on blood packs, as well as other useful information, i.e.

U.K. multicentre study on blood donors for surrogate markers of non-A non-B hepatitis. Part I: Alanine transferase and anti-HBc testing.

Blood samples from 9,215 blood donors in three U.K. centres (North London, Bristol and Manchester) were tested for their alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and the presence of anti-HBc and anti-HCV.

Hepatitis C viraemia in United Kingdom blood donors. A multicentre study.

Of 10,633 blood donations tested in three regional blood transfusion centres with two commercial first generation screening assays for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), 65 (0.61%) were found to be repeatedly reactive in one or both assays. Five of the 65 were confirmed positive by recombinant immunoblot assay (Ortho RIBA-2) and a further 4 were judged indeterminate.

Screening of blood donations for HIV-1 antibody: 1985-1991.

One hundred and ninety HIV-1 antibody positive donors have been detected, out of 14.85 million blood donations screened in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man, since the start of testing in October 1985 to the end of March 1991. There were 145 men and 45 women, with an overall seropositivity rate of 0.

Comparison of false-positive reactions in direct-binding anti-HIV ELISA using cell lysate or recombinant antigens.

In a 2-year study of false-positive anti-HIV-1 tests in blood donors at Manchester and Lancaster Blood Banks, the reactions associated with a HIV-infected cell lysate antigen were compared with those using recombinant-antigen-based tests. In year 1 (cell lysate test) at Manchester BTS 0.21% of 119.

HIV antibody screening of blood donations in the United Kingdom.

Routine screening of blood donations for anti-HIV commenced in the UK during October 1985 and by the end of February 1987 approximately 3.7 million donations had been tested. Seventy-two were confirmed anti-HIV positive, i.

Detection of carotenoids in blood donors taking Orobronze: a cautionary note.

During the summer, plasma samples from eight blood donors at this transfusion centre were found to have a bright orange colour. All donors appeared to be healthy and haematological tests showed no abnormality. Extracts of lipid from the plasma revealed the presence of the carotenoid canthaxanthin and other carotenoid metabolites which were identified by thin-layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography, light absorbtion and mass spectrometry.

Five-day storage of platelet concentrates. I. In-vitro studies.

Platelet concentrates have been prepared in standard PVC (PL-146) packs and polyolefin (PL-732) packs. Comparison of pH and hypotonic stress of the platelet concentrates has shown that significantly improved values are obtained after storage of the concentrates at 22 C in PL-732 packs for 5 days than after storage for 3 days in PL-146 packs. There was no significant difference under conditions of the test between vertical and horizontal agitation of the concentrates.

Five-day storage of platelet concentrates. II. In-vivo studies.

Following in-vitro tests it was concluded that platelet concentrates stored for 5 days at 22 degrees C in polyolefin containers, coded PL732, should be as effective in clinical practice as similar concentrates stored in the standard PVC containers, coded PL146. These predictions have been confirmed by the following in-vivo tests; autologous survival studies in volunteers, determination of recovery, platelet increment calculations 1 and 24 h after transfusion and clinical appraisal after transfusion of haemorrhagic thrombocytopenic patients. Bacteriological cultures of the platelet concentrates were sterile after storage for more than 5 days.

Maternal anti-D concentrations and outcome in rhesus haemolytic disease of the newborn.

The relation between maternal anti-D concentrations, measured against the British working standard, and outcome of rhesus-sensitised pregnancies was studied. There is a clear relation between increasing anti-D concentrations and the chance of a severely affected baby. Of those pregnancies (78) where serial anti-D concentrations remained below 4 IU/ml, no baby had a cord haemoglobin below 10 g/dl and three had exchange transfusions.

Evaluation of an AutoAnalyzer method for quantitating anti-A and anti-B haemagglutinins in factor VIII preparations.

The continuous flow principle employed in the Technicon AutoAnalyzer has been adapted for the assay of anti-A and anti-B. The method has an acceptable degree of reproducibility and has been used, principally, for the quantitation of anti-A and anti-B in factor VIII concentrates of intermediate activity. It is, however, a method that can be applied to the assay of these antibodies in serum samples.