The impact of infused red blood cell volume on major and bidirectional ABO-mismatched bone marrow transplantation.

BACKGROUND AIMS: ABO incompatibility does not hinder bone marrow transplantation (BMT), but it has been associated with worse outcomes and additional adverse events. This study aimed to verify the impact of incompatible red blood cells (iRBCs) in allogeneic BMT and to determine a safe number of iRBCs to be infused. METHODS: We compared ABO-incompatible (iABO) allogeneic BMT (n = 42) with ABO-compatible allogeneic BMT (n = 44) and evaluated the impact of the number of infused iRBCs on outcomes and adverse events. RESULTS: The iABO patients demonstrated delayed time to transfusion independence at 30 days and 60 days, increased requirement for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and greater hemolysis signals and incidence of pure red cell aplasia. Neutrophil/platelet engraftment, length of hospitalization post-transplant, platelet units required, graft-versus-host disease occurrence and overall survival were similar in both groups. Patients in the iABO group received 1.03 × 1010 iRBCs/kg (range, 0.36-3.88). Infusion of iRBCs >1.0 × 1010 /kg was related to graft failure or death before neutrophil engraftment or platelet engraftment or both as well as increased plasma requirement and increased creatinine. Our results also suggest that antibody titers impact the transplantation scenario. CONCLUSIONS: The iABO transplantation showed some unfavorable outcomes. It is important to monitor the value of iRBCs to be infused, considering the recipient antibody titers. We propose using the number of iRBCs (iRBCs/kg) as a dose parameter with regard to infused iRBCs. Further studies are necessary to clarify the maximum safe number of iRBCs in iABO transplants.

Aspects of laboratory characteristics, analysis of alloimmunization, and searching for predictors related to survival in patients with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is characterized by hemolysis caused by autoantibodies. However, many patients do not respond to therapies and may have an unfavorable outcome. It has been hypothesized that patients with AIHA and alloantibodies have a lower survival compared to patients with this disease and without alloimmunization. To this end, the clinical and laboratory profile was described and sought to identify features associated with survival in patients with AIHA. This is a single-site retrospective observational study that included patients (children, adolescents, adults and elderly) diagnosed with AIHA from January 2000 to June 2019. Epidemiological data, laboratory tests, treatment response, alloantibody and autoantibody profile, red cell transfusion and clinical course were analyzed. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression. The study included 138 patients, mostly caucasians and female. The median age at diagnosis was 48.5 years (0.16-88) and 82 (59.4 %) patients had secondary AIHA. In addition, 33 % (25/75) of subjects had alloantibodies at the time of AIHA diagnosis and 40 % (16/40) detected alloantibody emergence later. The overall 10-year survival rate was 51 % (median follow-up was 39 months). Monocytosis, IgM class autoantibody and Direct Antiglobulin Test (DAT) intensity had a significant impact on predicting mortality in this population. On the other hand, alloimmunization at diagnosis and after did not affect survival in this population.

Validation of blood components transport through a pneumatic tube system.

INTRODUCTION: Urgent blood component transfusions may be life-saving for patients in hemorrhagic shock. Measures to reduce the time taken to provide these transfusions, such as uncrossmatched transfusion or abbreviated testing, are available. However, transport time is still an additional delay and the use of a pneumatic tube system (PTS) may be an alternative to shorten the transport time of blood components. OBJECTIVES: To assess pneumatic tube system transportation of blood components based on a validation protocol. METHODS: Pre- and post-transport quality control laboratory parameters, visual appearance, transport time and temperature of the packed red blood cells (RBCs), thawed fresh plasma (TFP), cryoprecipitate (CR), and platelet concentrate (PC) were evaluated. Parameters were compared between transport via pneumatic tube and courier. RESULTS: A total of 23 units of RBCs, 50 units of TFP, 30 units of CR and ten units of PC were evaluated. No statistically significant differences were found between pre- and post-transport laboratory results. There was also no difference in laboratory parameters between transport modalities (PTS versus courier). All blood components transported matched regulatory requirements for quality criteria. The temperature during transport remained stable and the transport time via PTS was significantly shorter than the courier's transport time (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The PTS was considered a fast, safe and reliable means of transportation for blood components, also securing quality prerequisites.

Validation of blood components transport through a pneumatic tube system

ABSTRACT Introduction: Urgent blood component transfusions may be life-saving for patients in hemorrhagic shock. Measures to reduce the time taken to provide these transfusions, such as uncrossmatched transfusion or abbreviated testing, are available. However, transport time is still an additional delay and the use of a pneumatic tube system (PTS) may be an alternative to shorten the transport time of blood components. Objectives: To assess pneumatic tube system transportation of blood components based on a validation protocol. Methods: Pre- and post-transport quality control laboratory parameters, visual appearance, transport time and temperature of the packed red blood cells (RBCs), thawed fresh plasma (TFP), cryoprecipitate (CR), and platelet concentrate (PC) were evaluated. Parameters were compared between transport via pneumatic tube and courier. Results: A total of 23 units of RBCs, 50 units of TFP, 30 units of CR and ten units of PC were evaluated. No statistically significant differences were found between pre- and post-transport laboratory results. There was also no difference in laboratory parameters between transport modalities (PTS versus courier). All blood components transported matched regulatory requirements for quality criteria. The temperature during transport remained stable and the transport time via PTS was significantly shorter than the courier's transport time (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The PTS was considered a fast, safe and reliable means of transportation for blood components, also securing quality prerequisites.