A multicentre evaluation of a new filtration protocol for leucocyte depletion of high-haematocrit red blood cells collected by an automated blood collection system.
OBJECTIVE
A multicentre trial was set up to evaluate the performance of a new leucodepletion protocol.


METHODS
Filtration at high haematocrit was started during collection of red blood cell (RBC) products by apheresis with Trima. SAG-M was added after filtration through the filter. Haematocrits and haemoglobin of the filtered RBCs were measured. Residual leucocytes were determined by Nageotte counting.


RESULTS
One-hundred and forty seven procedures were carried out. The haematocrit and haemoglobin contents were 57.3 +/- 3.0% and 55.1 +/- 4.3 g/unit, respectively. All products showed low residual leucocyte levels (< or = 0.75 x 106/unit; 99.31% < 1 x 106).


CONCLUSIONS
Immediate, on-line, high-haematocrit filtration of red cells collected on Trima resulted in leucoreduced RBCs, which met the AABB and Council of Europe criteria.
Soli
M
M
Ospedale San Bortolo, Vicenza, Italy Centro de Transfusión de la Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Blanco
L
L
Riggert
J
J
Martínez-Clavel
A
A
Lucas
C
C
Lunghi
M
M
Belloni
M
M
Wolf
C
C
van Waeg
G
G
Antoon
M
M
D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004867:Equipment Design; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes
D006454:Hemoglobins