Autologous blood salvage in cardiac surgery: clinical evaluation, efficacy and levels of residual heparin

ABSTRACT Objective: Intraoperative blood salvage (cell saver technique) in cardiac surgery is universally used in surgical procedures with a marked risk of blood loss. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the concentration of residual heparin in the final product that is reinfused into the patient in the operating room and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the cell saver technique. Method: Twelve patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were enrolled in this study. Using the XTRA Autotransfusion System, blood samples were collected from the cardiotomy reservoir, both prior to blood processing (pre-sample) and after it, directly from the bag with processed product (post-sample). Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, the protein, albumin and residual heparin concentrations, hemolysis index, and the platelet, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were measured. Results: Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels and red blood cell counts were higher in post-processing samples, with a mean variation of 54.78%, 19.81 g/dl and 6.84 × 106/mm3, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean hematocrit of the processed bag was 63.49 g/dl (range: 57.2-67.5). The residual heparin levels were ≤0.1 IU/ml in all post-treatment analyses (p = 0.003). No related adverse events were observed. Conclusion: The reduced residual heparin values (≤0.1 IU/ml) in processed blood found in this study are extremely important, as they are consistent with the American Association of Blood Banks guidelines, which establish target values below 0.5 IU/ml. The procedure was effective, safe and compliant with legal requirements and the available international literature.

Transfusion profile, clinical characteristics, comorbidities and outcomes of 3014 hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused a sudden and unexpected increase in the number of hospital admissions and deaths worldwide. The impact of social distancing on blood stocks was significant. Data on the use of blood products by patients with COVID-19 are scarce. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted by analysing the medical records of 3014 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 16 Brazilian hospitals. Individual data related to clinical, laboratory and transfusion characteristics and outcomes of these patients were collected. Patients characteristics association with mortality and transfusion need were tested independently by logistic regression models. RESULTS: Patients mean age was 57·6 years. In 2298 (76·2%) patients, there was an underlying clinical comorbidity. A total of 1657 (55%) patients required admission to intensive care unit (ICU), and 943 (31%) patients required ventilatory support and orotracheal intubation (OTI). There was a total of 471 (15·6%) deaths among all patients. 325 patients (10·7%) required blood transfusion; 3187 blood products were transfused: 1364 red blood cells in 303 patients, 1092 platelet units in 78 patients, 303 fresh frozen plasma in 49 patients and 423 cryoprecipitates in 21 patients. The mortality among patients who received transfusion was substantially higher than that among the total study population. CONCLUSION: Need for transfusion was low in COVID-19 patients, but significantly higher in patients admitted to ICU and in those who needed OTI. Knowledge of the transfusion profile of these patients allows better strategies for maintaining the blood stocks of hospitals during the pandemic.

Autologous blood salvage in cardiac surgery: clinical evaluation, efficacy and levels of residual heparin.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative blood salvage (cell saver technique) in cardiac surgery is universally used in surgical procedures with a marked risk of blood loss. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the concentration of residual heparin in the final product that is reinfused into the patient in the operating room and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the cell saver technique. METHOD: Twelve patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were enrolled in this study. Using the XTRA Autotransfusion System, blood samples were collected from the cardiotomy reservoir, both prior to blood processing (pre-sample) and after it, directly from the bag with processed product (post-sample). Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, the protein, albumin and residual heparin concentrations, hemolysis index, and the platelet, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were measured. RESULTS: Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels and red blood cell counts were higher in post-processing samples, with a mean variation of 54.78%, 19.81g/dl and 6.84×106/mm3, respectively (p<0.001). The mean hematocrit of the processed bag was 63.49 g/dl (range: 57.2-67.5). The residual heparin levels were ≤0.1IU/ml in all post-treatment analyses (p=0.003). No related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: The reduced residual heparin values (≤0.1IU/ml) in processed blood found in this study are extremely important, as they are consistent with the American Association of Blood Banks guidelines, which establish target values below 0.5IU/ml. The procedure was effective, safe and compliant with legal requirements and the available international literature.

Transfusion-transmitted malaria: case report of asymptomatic donor harboring Plasmodium malariae.

Malaria in Brazil is endemic in the Amazon region, but autochthonous cases with low parasitaemia occur in the Atlantic Forest area of the country. According to Brazilian legislation no test is mandatory for blood donors from non-endemic areas. However if they have traveled to malaria transmission regions they are deferred for six months before they can donate. This report describes a transfusion-transmitted malaria case in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where one recipient received infected blood and developed the disease. He lived in Sao Paulo and had no previous transfusion or trips to endemic areas, including those of low endemicity, such as Atlantic Forest. Thick blood smears confirmed Plasmodium malariae. All donors lived in Sao Paulo and one of them (Donor 045-0) showed positive hemoscopy and PCR. This asymptomatic donor had traveled to Juquia, in the Atlantic Forest area of S ao Paulo State, where sporadic cases of autochthonous malaria are described. DNA assay revealed P. malariae in the donor's (Donor 045-0) blood. Serum archives of the recipient and of all blood donors were analyzed by ELISA using both P. vivax and P. falciparum antigens, and IFAT with P. malariae. Donor 045-0's serum was P. malariae IFAT positive and the P. vivax ELISA was reactive. In addition, two out of 44 donors' archive sera were also P. vivax ELISA reactive. All sera were P. falciparum ELISA negative. This case suggests the need of reviewing donor selection criteria and deferral strategies to prevent possible cases of transfusion-transmitted malaria.

Transfusion-transmitted malaria: case report of asymptomatic donor harboring Plasmodium malariae / Malária transfusional: relato de caso de doador assintomático infectado por Plasmodium malariae

Malaria in Brazil is endemic in the Amazon region, but autochthonous cases with low parasitaemia occur in the Atlantic Forest area of the country. According to Brazilian legislation no test is mandatory for blood donors from non-endemic areas. However if they have traveled to malaria transmission regions they are deferred for six months before they can donate. This report describes a transfusion-transmitted malaria case in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where one recipient received infected blood and developed the disease. He lived in Sao Paulo and had no previous transfusion or trips to endemic areas, including those of low endemicity, such as Atlantic Forest. Thick blood smears confirmed Plasmodiummalariae. All donors lived in Sao Paulo and one of them (Donor 045-0) showed positive hemoscopy and PCR. This asymptomatic donor had traveled to Juquia, in the Atlantic Forest area of S ao Paulo State, where sporadic cases of autochthonous malaria are described. DNA assay revealed P. malariae in the donor's (Donor 045-0) blood. Serum archives of the recipient and of all blood donors were analyzed by ELISA using both P. vivax and P. falciparum antigens, and IFAT with P. malariae. Donor 045-0's serum was P. malariae IFAT positive and the P. vivax ELISA was reactive. In addition, two out of 44 donors' archive sera were also P. vivax ELISA reactive. All sera were P. falciparum ELISA negative. This case suggests the need of reviewing donor selection criteria and deferral strategies to prevent possible cases of transfusion-transmitted malaria.

No Brasil a malária é endêmica na Amazônia, porém casos autóctones com baixas parasitemias ocorrem na área costeira de Mata Atlântica. De acordo com a legislação brasileira, não são obrigatórios testes para detecção de malária em doadores de sangue de áreas não-endêmicas; entretanto são excluídos por seis meses aqueles com relato de deslocamento para áreas de transmissão. Este trabalho descreve um caso de malária transfusional ocorrido em São Paulo, Brasil, em que um paciente recebeu sangue infectado, desenvolvendo a doença. Ele residia em São Paulo e não apresentava histórico de transfusão anterior ou deslocamentos para áreas endêmicas, incluindo as de baixa endemicidade, como a Mata Atlântica. A gota espessa revelou Plasmodium malariae. Os doadores eram residentes em São Paulo e um deles (045-0) apresentou hemoscopia e PCR positivos. Este era assintomático com PCR positiva para P. malariae e viagem para Juquiá, Mata Atlântica de São Paulo, onde são descritos casos esporádicos de malária autóctone. Amostras de soro do receptor e de todos os doadores foram ensaiadas por ELISA com antígenos de P. vivax e P. falciparum e RIFI com P. malariae. O doador 045-0 apresentou RIFI positiva para P. malariae. ELISA-P. vivax foi reagente no doador infectado (045-0) e em dois dos 44 doadores. Todos os soros foram negativos com antígeno de P. falciparum. Este caso aponta a necessidade de revisão dos critérios de triagem clínico-epidemiológica para evitar casos transfusionais e também adequar as estratégias de exclusão de doadores de sangue.

Autotransfusäo intra-operatória em cirurgia cardíaca: estudo comparativo de 140 casos / Intraoperative autologous transfusion in cardiac surgery: comparative study of 140 cases

Utilizando-se programa dirigido para diminuiçao ou eliminaçao do uso de sangue homólogo, em pacientes cirúrgicos graves, foi realizado um estudo comparativo entre 140 casos. Os pacientes foram divididos em 2 grupos de 70 casos cada, onde o Grupo A representava aqueles submetidos a cirurgia cardíaca com o uso de recuperadores celulares automatizados de sangue cell-saver, no Grupo B, os pacientes que nao utilizaram cell-saver durante o ato cirúrgico (Grupo controle). A maioria era de reoperaçaes: 71,1 por cento no Grupo A e 74,2 por cento no Grupo B, observando-se, ainda, semelhança entre os respectivos grupos em relaçao a: idade, distribuiçao por sexo, tipo de operaçao, condiçoes clínicas e aspectos laboratoriais pré-operatórios (coagulograma; eritrograma; série bioquímica). No Grupo A a utilizaçao média de sangue homólogo, durante o ato cirúrgico, foi de 628 ml, e 479 ml no pós-operatório imediato. Já no Grupo B o uso de sangue homólogo foi de 1.271 ml e 1.095 ml, respectivamente. A perda sangüínea média na sala cirúrgica do Grupo A foi de 380 ml, enquanto que a do Grupo B foi de 899 ml. O número de pacientes do Grupo A que nao necessitou de sangue homólogo durante o período de internaçao foi o dobro (5,7 por cento) em relaçao ao Grupo B (2,8 por cento). A maioria dos pacientes do Grupo A (51,4 por cento) utilizou no máximo 2 unidades de sangue homólogo, enquanto que a maioria dos pacientes do Grupo B (78,6 por cento) utilizou entre 3 ou mais de 5 unidades de sangue homologo. O estudo mostra, portanto, que a utilizaçao da autotransfusao intra-operatória (ATI) através de processadores celulares automatizados (cell-saver) em cirurgia cardíaca em procedimento seguro e eficaz, reduzindo em aproximadamente 50 por cento a utilizaçao de sangue homólogo, com as possíveis reaçoes transfusionais e, principalmente, o risco da transmissao de doenças infecto-contagiosas.

Estudo genético comparativo da populaçäo da cidade de Säo Paulo, SP, com populaçöes brancas Européias e negras Africanas no sistema ABO / Comparative genetic study of the population of Säo Paulo city, SP, with white European and African negroid population in the ABO system

O objetivo deste trabalho é o estudo comparativo dos grupos sangüíneos ABO entre a populaçäo de Säo Paulo e populaçöes brancas européias e negras africanas. As populaçöes-controles utilizadas no estudo foram as de Portugal, França, Espanha e Itália, para a branca; Costa do Marfim, República Centro-Africana, Camaröes e Zâmbia, para a negra. A comparaçäo foi realizada com o emprego do teste do X2 (Quiquadrado), dispondo dos dados em tabela de contigência de 2 por 4, onde as colunas representam os grupos sangüíneos e as fileiras as populaçöes empregadas para comparaçäo. Foi adotado como valor crítico 11.345 para a Quiquadrado (X2) e p = 0.01, como nível de significância. Para esse fim, foram realizadas determinaçöes do sistema ABO de 67.141 caucasóides e 9.540 negróides. Os testes foram realizados com o emprego do método de aglutinaçäo em meio salino e em tubos. Dos caucasóides estudados, 37.068 eram de fenotipo O, 20.479 do A, 5.036 do B e 4.558 do AB. Dos negróides, 6.116 eram do fenotipo O, 1.370 do A, 1.590 do B e 484 do AB. Os resultados demonstraram que nossa populaçäo caucasóide difere significativamente da de Portugal, França e Espanha e assemelha-se a da Itália. Os da populaçäo negróide mostraram diferenças significativas em relaçäo a Zâmbia, Camaröes e Costa do Marfim, assemelhando-se aos da República Centro-Africana

Contaminaçäo e principais contaminantes microbiológicos em procedimentos hemoterápicos / Contamination and main microbiological contaminants in hemotherapic procedures

Procurou-se avaliar a incidência de contaminaçäo e tipos de contaminantes no processamento de preparo dos componentes sangüíneos. Realizaram-se para esse fim culturas de 5128 unidades de plasma, 636 de crioconcentrado de proteínas, 363 de crioprecipitado e 19 de crioprecipitado liofilizado, unm total de 6146 culturas, feitas em meio de BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) com 0,1% de agar e Sabouroud líquido. As porcentagens de contaminaçäo encontradas foram de 0,35% nos plasmas, 0,22% nos concentrados e proteínas, 0,11% no crioprecipitado úmido e nenhuma no crioprecipitado liofilizado. Os contaminantes identificados foram: -Stafilococos, coagulase negativa; Stafilococos, coagulase positiva; Streptococo alta hemolítico, Bacillus sp; Difteróides, todos gram positivos e: - Klebsiella sp; Proteus sp; Enterobacter; E. coli; Alcaligenes sp, todos gram negativos. Os resultados mostram que apesar de manipulaçäo com uso de bolsas e sob fluxo laminar a contaminaçäo dos produtos ocorre, sendo importante a realizaçäo de culturas antes do emprego terapêutico dos derivados do plasma