A novel, automated method of temperature cycling to produce cryoprecipitate.
BACKGROUND
Cryoprecipitate continues to find wide application in transfusion practice. Current AABB standards call for a minimum of 80 units (U) of factor VIII and 150 mg of fibrinogen per bag of cryoprecipitate. However, individual cryoprecipitates can vary greatly in content, with as many as 20 different factors known to affect the yield.


METHODS
Plasma was processed in a new, rapid, automated device (CryoSeal, Thermogenesis) with computer-controlled temperature cycling to produce cryoprecipitate.


RESULTS
In repeat runs (n = 20), the automated procedure yielded a product containing 184 mg of fibrinogen and 158 U of factor VIII in 55 minutes. Additional studies using plasma pools to compare the quality of the machine-generated products to those of traditionally prepared cryoprecipitate showed comparative recoveries of 182 and 187 mg of fibrinogen and 172.1 and 129.7 U of factor VIII and no significant difference in the levels of plasminogen, protein C, or protein S.


CONCLUSIONS
The new system offers an automated method of cryoprecipitate production in which the steps involved in temperature cycling are initiated sequentially, producing within 1 hour a preparation that is equivalent to standard cryoprecipitate.
Ottawa Hospital-Civic Campus and the Canadian Red Cross, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. grock@ottawahospital.on.ca
G
G
Rock
R
R
Berger
J
J
Lange
M
M
Tokessy
D S
DS
Palmer
A
A
Giulivi
D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000737:chemistry; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
C026912:cryoprecipitate coagulum; D005169:Factor VIII; D005340:Fibrinogen