James R. Stubbs

Toward extended phenotype matching: a new operational paradigm for the transfusion service

BACKGROUND: Conventional pretransfusion testing uses hemagglutination to ensure donor‐recipient compatibility for ABO/D status and recipient alloantibodies. While screening large numbers of donor units for multiple antigens by hemagglutination is impractical, novel methods of DNA analysis permit the rapid determination of an extended human erythrocyte antigen (xHEA) phenotype. A prospective observational study was conducted at four hospital transfusion services to test an alternative paradigm of identifying xHEA‐typed units for patients in three cohorts by utilizing DNA analysis and a novel inventory management model.

Emergency use of prethawed Group A plasma in trauma patients.

BACKGROUND Massive transfusion protocols lead to increased use of the rare universal plasma donor, Type AB, potentially limiting supply. Owing to safety data, with a goal of avoiding shortages, our blood bank exploited Group A rather than AB for all emergency release plasma transfusions. We hypothesized that ABO-incompatible plasma transfusions had mortality similar to ABO-compatible transfusions. METHODS Review of all trauma patients receiving emergency release plasma (Group A) from 2008 to 2011 was performed. ABO compatibility was determined post hoc. Deaths before blood typing were eliminated. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Of the 254 patients, 35 (14%) received ABO-incompatible and 219 (86%) received ABO-compatible transfusions. There was no difference in age (56 years vs. 59 years), sex (63% vs. 63% male), Injury Severity Score (ISS) (25 vs. 22), or time spent in the trauma bay (24 vs. 26.5 minutes). Median blood product units transfused were similar: emergency release plasma (2 vs. 2), total plasma at 24 hours (6 vs. 4), total red blood cells at 24 hours (5 vs. 4), plasma–red blood cells at 24 hours (1.3:1 vs. 1.1:1), and plasma deficits at 24 hours (2 vs. 1). Overall complications were similar (43% vs. 35%) as were rates of possible transfusion-related acute lung injury (2.9% vs. 1.8%), acute lung injury (3.7% vs. 2.5%), adult respiratory distress syndrome (2.9% vs. 1.8%), deep venous thrombosis (2.9% vs. 4.1%), pulmonary embolism (5.8% vs. 7.3%), and death (20% vs. 22%). Ventilator (6 vs. 3), intensive care unit (4 vs. 3), and hospital days (9 vs. 7) were similar. There were no hemolytic reactions. Mortality was significantly greater for the patients who received incompatible plasma if concurrent with a massive transfusion (8% vs. 40%, p = 0.044). Group AB plasma use was decreased by 96.6%. CONCLUSION Use of Group A for emergency release plasma resulted in ABO-incompatible transfusions; however, this had little effect on clinical outcomes. Blood banks reticent to adopt massive transfusion protocols owing to supply concerns may safely use plasma Group A, expanding the pool of emergency release plasma donors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, level IV; prognostic study, level III.

A comparison of adverse reaction rates for PAS C versus plasma platelet units.

Plasma constituents have been implicated in some types of platelet (PLT) transfusion reactions. Leukoreduced apheresis PLTs stored in InterSol have 65% less plasma than apheresis PLTs stored in 100% plasma (PPs). This study compared transfusion reaction rates in InterSol PLTs (PLT additive solution [PAS] C) versus PPs.

Implementation and execution of civilian remote damage control resuscitation programs

ABSTRACT Remote damage control resuscitation is a recently defined term used to describe techniques and strategies to provide hemostatic resuscitation to injured patients in the prehospital setting. In the civilian setting, unlike the typical military setting, patients who require treatment for hemorrhage come in all ages with all types of comorbidities and have bleeding that may be non–trauma related. Thus, in the austere setting, addressing the needs of the patient is no less challenging than in the military environment, albeit the caregivers are typically not putting their lives at risk to provide such care. Two organizations have pioneered remote damage control resuscitation in the civilian environment: Mayo Clinic and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The limitations in rural Minnesota and shipboard are daunting. Patients who have hemorrhage requiring transfusion are often hundreds of miles from hospitals able to provide damage control resuscitation. This article details the development and implementation of novel programs specifically designed to address the varied needs of patients in such circumstances. The Mayo Clinic program essentially takes a standard-of-care treatment algorithm, by which the patient would be treated in the emergency department or trauma bay, and projects that forward into the rural environment with specially trained prehospital personnel and special resources. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has adapted a traditional military field practice of transfusing warm fresh whole blood, adding significant safety measures not yet reported on the battlefield (see within this Supplement the article entitled “Emergency Whole Blood Use in the Field: A Simplified Protocol for Collection and Transfusion”). The details of development, implementation, and preliminary results of these two civilian programs are described herein.

Whole blood for hemostatic resuscitation of major bleeding.

Recent combat experience reignited interest in transfusing whole blood (WB) for patients with life‐threatening bleeding. US Army data indicate that WB transfusion is associated with improved or comparable survival compared to resuscitation with blood components. These data complement randomized controlled trials that indicate that platelet (PLT)‐containing blood products stored at 4°C have superior hemostatic function, based on reduced bleeding and improved functional measures of hemostasis, compared to PLT‐containing blood products at 22°C.

TRANSFUSION PRACTICE: Toward extended phenotype matching: a new operational paradigm for the transfusion service

BACKGROUND: Conventional pretransfusion testing uses hemagglutination to ensure donor‐recipient compatibility for ABO/D status and recipient alloantibodies. While screening large numbers of donor units for multiple antigens by hemagglutination is impractical, novel methods of DNA analysis permit the rapid determination of an extended human erythrocyte antigen (xHEA) phenotype. A prospective observational study was conducted at four hospital transfusion services to test an alternative paradigm of identifying xHEA‐typed units for patients in three cohorts by utilizing DNA analysis and a novel inventory management model.

Changes in Band 3 oligomeric state precede cell membrane phospholipid loss during blood bank storage of red blood cells.

BACKGROUND: Lipid loss in the form of vesicles contributes to the red blood cell (RBC) storage lesion, and this loss of lipid is correlated with changes in membrane protein function. Sensitive spectroscopic techniques were used to measure changes in Band 3 oligomeric state during storage of RBCs, compared to metabolic changes and phospholipid loss. The aim of the study was to determine whether changes in the macromolecular organization of membrane proteins occur before, coincident with, or after lipid loss during RBC storage.

Alternatives to blood product transfusion in the critically ill: erythropoietin.

Objective:To present information regarding the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) to treat anemia in intensive care unit (ICU) patients Main Results:Anemia is common in critically ill patients. Approximately 95% of patients have subnormal hemoglobin (Hb) values by day 3 of their ICU stay. ICU-associated anemia often requires replacement of red blood cells (RBCs) via transfusion. Recent surveys of ICU practice document that approximately 50% of ICU patients receive RBC transfusions. ICU-associated anemia is largely the result of the cumulative effects of blood loss and decreased RBC production. Blood loss in critically ill patients may be overt, occult, or due to phlebotomy. Decreased RBC production is the other major factor influencing the development of anemia. Decreased RBC production is due to the combined effects of abnormal iron metabolism, inappropriately low erythropoietin production, diminished response to erythropoietin, and direct suppression of RBC production. Inflammatory mediators play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of decreased RBC production. Clinical trials have shown that, compared with nontreated subjects, rHuEPO-treated ICU patients will have increased serum erythropoietin concentrations, increased reticulocyte counts, and increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values and require fewer RBC transfusions. These clinical trials have not detected significant differences in outcomes in association with rHuEPO, however. Conclusions:rHuEPO can be used to increase hemoglobin and hematocrit values and decrease the number of RBC transfusions in ICU patients. Further investigation is necessary to identify the appropriate target population of ICU patients for treatment, to clarify the appropriate dosing schedule, and to ascertain whether such therapy has a positive impact on outcomes.

The development and feasibility of a remote damage control resuscitation prehospital plasma transfusion protocol for warfarin reversal for patients with traumatic brain injury

The rapid reversal of warfarin in the setting of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with improved outcomes. Until now, remote reversal of hypocoagulable states has not been possible in the prehospital environment. This manuscript describes the development and analysis of a prehospital plasma transfusion protocol to reverse warfarin at the earliest possible moment after TBI.

The state of the science of whole blood: lessons learned at Mayo Clinic

AABB Standards specify that ABO group‐specific whole blood is the only acceptable choice for whole blood transfusions. Although universal donor group O stored whole blood (SWB) was used extensively by the military during the wars of the mid‐twentieth century, its use has fallen out of favor and has never been used to great extent in the civilian trauma population. Interest in the use of whole blood has been renewed, particularly in light of its potential value in far‐forward military and other austere environments. Evidence of preserved platelet function in SWB has heightened enthusiasm for a “one stop shop” resuscitation product providing volume, oxygen carrying capacity, and hemostatic effects. Experience with universal donor group O SWB is required to ascertain whether its use will be an advance in trauma care. Described here is the process of establishing a universal donor group O SWB at a civilian trauma center in the United States.