Janny de Wildt-Eggen

Storage of platelets in additive solutions: effects of magnesium and/or potassium

BACKGROUND: Previous studies indicate that platelet concentrates (PCs) in a platelet additive solution (PAS) containing citrate, acetate, and sodium chloride (PAS‐2) show a significantly higher increase of CD62+ platelets than PCs in other brands of PAS containing Mg2+ and K+. To investigate whether this difference can be explained by the presence of Mg2+ and/or K+ in the storage medium, we performed paired studies comparing storage of PCs in PAS‐2 to PAS‐2 with either Mg2+ or K+ or both in combination.

Is red blood cell rheology preserved during routine blood bank storage

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) units stored for more than 2 weeks at 4°C are currently considered of impaired quality. This opinion has primarily been based on altered RBC rheologic properties (i.e., enhanced aggregability, reduced deformability, and elevated endothelial cell interaction), during prolonged storage of nonleukoreduced RBC units. In this study, the rheologic properties and cell variables of leukoreduced RBC units, during routine blood bank storage in saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol, were investigated.

Flow cytometric measurement of CD62P (P-selectin) expression on platelets : a multicenter optimization and standardization effort

BACKGROUND: One of the variables to determine the quality of platelets (PLTs) in vitro is measurement of CD62P expression. Different protocols are in use, however, making comparison of results virtually impossible. It was our aim to develop a uniform CD62P protocol that would yield comparable results in various laboratories.

The effect of whole‐blood storage time on the number of white cells and platelets in whole blood and in white cell–reduced red cells

BACKGROUND:  Whole blood (WB) can be stored for some time before it is processed into components. After introduction of universal white cell (WBC) reduction, it was observed that longer WB storage was associated with more residual WBCs in the WBC‐reduced red cells (RBCs). Also, weak propidium iodide (PI)‐positive events were observed in the flow cytometric WBC counting method, presumably WBC fragments. The effect of storage time on the composition of WB and subsequently prepared WBC‐reduced RBCs was studied.

Interruption of agitation of platelet concentrates: a multicenter in vitro study by the BEST Collaborative on the effects of shipping platelets

BACKGROUND: Transported platelets (PLTs) are not under continuous agitation. The aim of this study was to determine whether PLTs shipped between 24 and 48 hours would be able to maintain a pH22°C value of 6.5 at the end of 7 days of storage.

Evaluation of overnight hold of whole blood at room temperature before component processing: effect of red blood cell (RBC) additive solutions on in vitro RBC measures

BACKGROUND: Whole blood (WB) can be held at room temperature (18‐25°C) up to 8 hours after collection; thereafter the unit must be refrigerated, rendering it unsuitable for platelet (PLT) production. Overnight hold at room temperature before processing has logistic advantages, and we evaluated this process in an international multicenter study for both buffy coat (BC)‐ and PLT‐rich plasma (PRP)‐based blood components and compared three red blood cell (RBC) additive solutions (ASs) for their ability to offset effects of overnight hold.

Multicenter evaluation of two flow cytometric methods for counting low levels of white blood cells.

BACKGROUND:  Flow cytometric methods can be used to count residual white blood cells (WBCs) in WBC‐reduced blood products, which should contain fewer than 1 × 106 WBCs per unit (∼3.3 WBCs/µL). In this study two flow cytometric methods for counting WBCs under routine conditions in nine laboratories were evaluated.

Optimization of the freezing process for hematopoietic progenitor cells: effect of precooling, initial dimethyl sulfoxide concentration, freezing program, and storage in vapor‐phase or liquid nitrogen on in vitro white blood cell quality

Adding dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) causes an exothermic reaction, potentially affecting their viability. The freezing method might also influence this. The aim was to investigate the effect of 1) precooling of DMSO and plasma (D/P) and white blood cell (WBC)‐enriched product, 2) DMSO concentration of D/P, 3) freezing program, and 4) storage method on WBC quality.

Allogeneic single‐donor cryoseal produced from fresh‐frozen quarantine apheresis plasma as alternative for multidonor or autologous fibrin sealants

BACKGROUND: Fibrin sealant is a human blood product consisting of two components: cryoprecipitate and thrombin. Commercial fibrin sealants are produced from multidonors, increasing the viral risk, and contain fibrinolytic inhibitors such as tranexamic acid or bovine aprotinin. Autologous fibrin sealants reduce the viral risk and are mostly produced during a surgical procedure or well in advance. Alternatively, the allogeneic single‐donor fibrin sealant cryoseal can be used. In this study cryoseal was characterized and the manufacturing consistency of the production process was investigated.

Counting platelets in platelet concentrates on hematology analyzers: a multicenter comparative study

BACKGROUND: Hematology analyzers are designed to count whole blood samples, but are also used by blood centers to perform quality control on blood components. In platelet (PLT) concentrates, the number of PLTs is approximately fivefold higher and red blood cells are absent, causing variable PLT counting results. It was our aim to compare currently used hematology analyzers for counting PLTs in PLT concentrates using fixed human PLTs.