An international investigation into AB plasma administration in hospitals: how many AB plasma units were infused? The HABSWIN study.

Background: Typical practice is to transfuse group-specific plasma units; however, there are situations where group AB plasma (universal donor) is issued to group A, B, or O recipients. If demand for group AB plasma exceeds collections, there is potential for shortage. This project explored the patterns of group AB plasma utilization at hospitals around the world.

An international investigation into O red blood cell unit administration in hospitals: the GRoup O Utilization Patterns (GROUP) study.

Background: Transfusion of group O blood to non-O recipients, or transfusion of D- blood to D+ recipients, can result in shortages of group O or D- blood, respectively. This study investigated RBC utilization patterns at hospitals around the world and explored the context and policies that guide ABO blood group and D type selection practices.

Study Design And Methods: This was a retrospective study on transfusion data from the 2013 calendar year.

An international survey on the role of the hospital transfusion committee.

Background: Hospital transfusion committees (HTCs) can oversee all aspects of transfusion practice at a hospital. This survey sought to identify which quality variables were being reported at HTCs around the world.

Study Design And Methods: A working party composed of members of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) collaborative developed a survey of quality variables that could be potentially presented at HTC meetings.

The Crossmatch/Issue Ratio: Use of a Novel Quality Indicator and Results of an International Survey on RBC Crossmatching and Issuing Practices.

Objectives: To understand the worldwide scope of RBC crossmatching and issuing practices and measure efficiency using a novel quality indicator, the crossmatch/issue (C/I) ratio.

Methods: An electronic survey was disseminated to hospital transfusion services collecting details about RBC crossmatching and issuing practices. Respondents were asked to enumerate the number of RBCs crossmatched and issued at their institutions during the 2014 calendar year to calculate the C/I ratio.

[Emerging infectious diseases in the context of blood safety].

The risk of transfusion-related infectious diseases, the markers for which are routinely tested, is extremely low. Recently, however, blood transfusion service faces the challenge from emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), mainly zoonotic origin. Pathogens are microorganisms, mostly viruses, that usually require vectors for their transmission to humans.

Babesia spp. infections transmitted through blood transfusion.

Babesiosis in humans is caused by infection with various species of Babesia (Apicomplexa, Piroplasmida), mainly transmitted by an arthropod vector--Ixodes spp. ticks. This review will focus on blood transfusion as another mode of Babesia transmission, especially in endemic areas, as well as the impact of human babesiosis on transfusion medicine.

Flow cytometric immunophenotypic characteristics of plasma cell leukemia.

The aim of this prospective study was to define the flow cytometric characteristics of simultaneously investigated bone marrow and peripheral blood plasma cells antigens expression in 36 plasma cell leukemia (PCL) patients. The immunophenotypic profile of plasma cells was determined with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. The antigen expression intensity was calculated as relative fluorescence intensity (RFI).

Flow cytometric immunophenotypic characteristics of 36 cases of plasma cell leukemia.

Prospective flow cytometric analysis of antigens expression on bone marrow and peripheral blood plasma cells of 36 plasma cell leukemia (PCL) patients enabled to establish the following immunophenotype of leukemic plasma cell: CD38(++), CD138(+), CD54(+), CD49d(+), CD29(+), CD44(+), CD126(+), CD19(-), CD45(-). In one-third of patients PCL cells express CD56, CD71 and CD117. Expression of CD54 on plasma cells was higher as compared to expression of adhesion molecules CD11a, CD18 and CD11b (p<0.

Clinicopathological correlates of plasma cell CD56 (NCAM) expression in multiple myeloma.

The aim of this prospective, long-term study was to define the flow cytometric characteristics of plasma cell CD56 expression as well as determine the clinical characteristics of 204 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and 26 plasma cell leukemia (PCL) patients with regard to CD56 expression. CD56 expression intensity was determined by measurement of antigen molecules on the cell defined as Antibodies Bound per Cell (ABC) and calculation of Relative Fluorescence Intensity (RFI). CD56 expression was found in 66% of MM and 54% of PCL cases.

Quantitation of red cell-bound IgG by an enzyme-linked antiglobulin test in the patients with warm-type autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.

We have previously reported the evaluation of a gel-direct antiglobulin test and enzyme-linked antiglobulin test (ELAT) in the laboratory diagnosis of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA). We now report our experience with quantitative ELAT performed on a large group of patients under long-term observation. The number of IgG molecules/red blood cell was determined in 658 blood samples from 268 randomly selected patients with warm-type AIHA.

Correlation of osteoprotegerin and sRANKL concentrations in serum and bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients.

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that multiple myeloma (MM) triggers osteoclastogenesis by disrupting the balance between the receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), its natural antagonist.

Material/methods: Determinations of bone marrow (BM) and serum OPG and sRANKL concentrations were performed in 133 MM patients and 42 healthy subjects by the ELISA method using Osteoprotegerin ELISA and sRANKL ELISA kits.

Results: MM patients had elevated serum levels of OPG compared with controls (p<0.

C-kit receptor (CD117) expression on plasma cells in monoclonal gammopathies.

The surface expression of CD117 antigen (c-kit) on plasma cells from 158 multiple myeloma (MM), 12 plasma cell leukemia (PCL), 7 MGUS, 7 IgM lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma patients and 10 healthy subjects has been analyzed by flow cytometry using triple staining with the monoclonal antibodies CD138, CD117 and CD38. The antigen expression intensity was calculated as relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) and for direct quantitative analysis the QuantiBRITE test (Becton Dickinson) was applied. Antibody bounding capacity (ABC) was calculated using QuantiCALC software.

Comparative evaluation of safety and efficacy of pamidronate and zoledronic acid in multiple myeloma patients (single center experience).

Osteolytic bone destruction, caused by the aberrant production and activation of osteoclasts, results in significant morbidity for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Pamidronate [(3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene)-1,1-bis-phosphonate] inhibits osteoclastic activity and reduces bone resorption. A potency of zoledronic acid (2-[imidazol-1-yl]-1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid, a new third generation bisphosphonate, as inhibitor of resorption was 850-fold greater than pamidronate, as was shown in preclinical models of bone resorption.