IMPACT OF AIR TRANSPORT ON BLOOD SAMPLE QUALITY.

The aim of this study was to establish the impact of air transport on blood samples packaged with and without cooling elements and effect of outdoor temperature on sample quality. Venous samples from 38 blood donors in winter and 36 in summer were tested for hemolysis and complete blood count. One tube subject was kept in controlled conditions at +4 °C.

Quality control of buffy coat removed red cell concentrates--a Croatian experience.

Objectives: Results are presented of the statistical quality control of red cell concentrate buffy coat removed in additive solution (RCC/BC/AS) and red cell concentrate buffy coat removed and leucoreduced in additive solution (RCC/BC/LR/AS) produced at the Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine during an 8-year period (2005-2012). The aim was to assess quality conformity of these products with specified requirements, as well as the suitability and justification of current regulations on the minimal quality requirements.

Methods: The measurements of all the study parameters of the products analysed are expressed using descriptive statistics and graphs showing the distributions of observed parameters.

[Safety of transfusion therapy with special emphasis on inactivated viruses in products made from human blood].

The most common complication of blood transfusion therapy is the transfusion-transmitted infection. The decrease of the risk had been achieved by several measures such as: the change from paid to all voluntary donor system, education of the population and potential donor groups as regards the risk factors, and the selection of donors without the risk factors, testing of donor blood for the presence of the hepatitis B and C viruses, HIV and syphilis, fractionation of plasma with the partition of viruses and their inactivation. In spite of all these efforts zero risk blood transfusion therapy has not been achieved and it is very unlikely that it will be achieved in the future.