RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this paper is to present 5 years' experience of pathogen inactivation of fresh-frozen plasma with the methylene blue system in a blood centre in Athens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight thousand and five hundred units treated by methylene blue and 54 435 untreated were issued for transfusion in four hospitals during the period 2000-2005. Eighty-eight units were evaluated for changes in coagulation factor activity and cytokine concentrations following treatment. RESULTS: Coagulation factor losses were in the accepted range. Adverse reactions were 1 : 8500 with treated and 1 : 2177 with untreated units. The five serious reactions were all in untreated units. No seroconversions for infectious diseases were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Methylene-blue-treated fresh-frozen plasma is safer than the untreated product even in patients who require large quantities of plasma transfusion.