A retrospective study to assess the impact of ABO incompatibility on outcomes of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplants at a tertiary care hospital in Western Maharashtra.

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has emerged as a curative measure for life-threatening hematological disorders. It can be autologous or allogeneic depending on the disease characteristics. Providing transfusion support to the transplant patients can be challenging, especially in AB-mismatched allogeneic HSCT.

Comparative study of quality of leukoreduced packed red blood cell units as assessed by nageotte hemocytometry and flow cytometry.

Purpose: Assessment of residual white blood cell (rWBC) count is vital to ascertain the quality of leukodepleted (LD) blood components. Automated cell analyzers lack the sensitivity for the assessment of very few leukocytes as found in LD blood components. Flow Cytometry (FC) based methods and Nageotte hemocytometer are the most commonly used techniques for this purpose.

A study to assess the relationship between donor uric acid levels and supernatant hemolysis in stored packed red blood cell units.

Background: Most of the red blood cell (RBC) storage lesions can be attributed to oxidative stress encountered by the RBCs throughout the duration of their storage. Various donor variables at the time of donation may be responsible for the total antioxidant capacity of the supernatant and thus, the "storability" and the magnitude of development of these RBC storage lesions. It is known that uric acid (UA) is responsible for more than 60% of the TAC of the blood.

A retrospective audit to evaluate the appropriateness and rationalization of Fresh Frozen Plasma usage in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: General guidelines describing the potential indications and contraindications of Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) exist. However, their implementation is inadequate, leading to inappropriate use in various clinical settings. This study aims to define the appropriateness of the FFP usage in terms of therapeutic versus prophylactic indications.

Association of CD 34 positive cell dose with engraftment kinetics in autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant patients of multiple myeloma.

Background: Treatment with high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation has prolonged survival in patients of multiple myeloma (MM). A dose-response relationship between number of CD34+ cells infused and leukocyte and platelet recovery, exists. Patients receiving dose of <2.

Effect of prolonged storage at 2°C-6°C for 120 h on the coagulation factors of thawed cryoprecipitate: Can we extend its shelf life post thaw beyond 4 h?

Background: Cryoprecipitate helps in replenishing important coagulation factors like fibrinogen, Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor without running the risk of volume overload. It is very useful in the treatment of trauma patients with active bleeding and works best when administered early. Extending the shelf life of thawed cryoprecipitate beyond 4 hours enables us to manage inventory better, reduces the burden of demand vs supply as well as minimizes wastage.

Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant: Correlation of Donor Factors with Yield, Engraftment, Chimerism, and Outcome: Retrospective Review of a Single Institute During a 3-Year Period.

Background: Donor factors have a variable correlation with cluster of differentiation (CD)34+ cell dose in allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) harvests. CD34+ cell dose affects the speed of hematopoietic recovery and percentage of donor chimerism in the recipient.

Methods: A total of 25 allogeneic PBSC transplants performed during a 3-year period were included.

Successful therapeutic plasma exchange in a patient with Morvan syndrome.

Morvan syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder, characterized by hyperexcitability of both central and peripheral nervous systems, accompanied by autonomic dysfunction and hallucinations. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been found to be an effective mode of treatment for this disease, but there is limited literature supporting the same. A 26-year-old male was admitted to our hospital and diagnosed with a case of Morvan syndrome, based on the clinical picture and laboratory findings.

Antiphospholipid syndrome: A diagnostic challenge.

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired autoimmune thrombophilic disorder that is characterized by thrombosis (venous, arterial and microvascular) and obstetric morbidity due to a diverse family of antibodies against phospholipid-binding proteins present in plasma. The term antiphospholipid antibody is actually a misnomer as the antibodies are not against the phospholipid per se, but target the plasma protein co-factors, which bind to anionic PLs. The exact etiology has not been elucidated and is multifactorial.

Point of care hemoglobin testing in plateletpheresis donors: Noninvasive versus invasive methods.

Background: Predonation hemoglobin (Hb) for plateletpheresis donors is estimated by presently available invasive methods. Venous samples of only those donors whose Hb is more than 12.5 g/dl are screened for complete blood count and transfusion transmissible infections.

Optimizing cord blood collections: Assessing the role of maternal and neonatal factors.

Background: As processing and cryopreservation of cord blood is time consuming and costly, it is essential to select units with optimal CD34+ cells, total nucleated cell (TNC) number and colony forming units (CFUs). These are the most important factors affecting outcome of UCB transplantation and are influenced by various maternal and neonatal factors.

Aim And Objectives: To determine the maternal and neonatal factors affecting TNC and CD34+ cell counts in cord blood so as to aid in proper selection of cord blood units for cryopreservation.

Report of two cases of anti-M antibody in antenatal patients.

Anti-M is a relatively common naturally occurring antibody reacting optimally at 4°C and weakly or nonreactive at 37°C. It is usually clinically insignificant but can be active at 37°C because of thermal amplitude of IgM component or presence of IgG component. It can cause or delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of newborn.

Red blood cell alloimmunization in multitransfused patients in a tertiary care center in Western India.

Objective: To investigate the seroprevalence and specificity of red blood cell (RBC) antibodies in multitransfused patients, in whom the risk of alloimmunization is especially high.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on blood specimens from 200 multitransfused patients. We evaluated all specimens for alloimmunization using various immunohematological tests via the column agglutination technique.

Microcytic hypochromic anemia: should high performance liquid chromatography be used routinely for screening anemic and antenatal patients?

Background: Hemoglobinopathies are the most common inherited red cell disorders worldwide. Identification of these disorders is immensely important epidemiologically and for improved management protocols.

Aim And Objectives: Our aim was to determine the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in patients with microcytic hypochromic anemia and to assess the suitability of using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) routinely for screening antenatal cases and patients with anemia.