Parental versus non-parental-directed donation: an 11-year experience of infectious disease testing at a pediatric tertiary care blood donor center.

Background: Directed donation is associated with a higher prevalence of donations that are positive for infectious disease markers; however, little is known about the positive rates among parental-directed, non-parental-directed, and allogeneic donations.

Study Design And Methods: We reviewed blood-collection records from January 1997 through December 2008, including infectious disease results, among parental, non-parental, and community donations. Infectious disease rates were compared by Mann-Whitney U test.

Storage of aliquots of apheresis platelets for neonatal use in syringes with and without agitation.

Background: To facilitate volume control in neonates, platelets (PLTs) are aliquoted and stored for short periods in non-gas-permeable syringes before infusion. Although agitation of PLTs during storage in gas-permeable bags is performed to maintain their quality, the effect of syringe agitation during storage is unknown.

Study Design And Methods: Double apheresis PLTs (n = 6) were collected and split, providing two identical products.

Blood irradiator dosimetry with BANG polymer gels.

Background: Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease is believed to be a preventable complication of blood transfusion in susceptible high-risk patients. Irradiation of allogeneic blood components is considered to be a safe and effective method inhibiting the proliferative capacity of lymphocytes. Physical factors that influence dose delivery include source and sample geometry, homogeneity of the dose distribution within the irradiation volume, and factors that influence dose absorption within the sample.

Feasibility of red blood cell transfusion through small bore central venous catheters used in neonates.

Objective: To determine whether packed red blood cell transfusions through small-bore central venous catheters used in critically ill neonates results in significant hemolysis.

Design: In vitro experimental study using a mock transfusion setup incorporating a syringe pump, prestorage leukoreduced fresher, and older CPDA-1 red blood cell units and pressure transducer simulating neonatal transfusion through 1.9-Fr NeoPICC central venous catheter.