title: The quality of fresh-frozen plasma produced from whole blood stored at 4 degrees C overnight.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess whether the quality of FFP produced from whole blood stored at 4 degrees C overnight is adequate for its intended purpose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) separated from whole blood (n = 60) leukodepleted (LD) after storage at 4 degrees C overnight (18-24 hr from donation, Day 1 FFP) was compared with that LD within 8 hours of donation (Day 0 FFP, the current standard method).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In more than 95 percent of Day 1 FFP units, levels of factor (F) II, FV, FVII, FVIII, F IX, FX, FXI, and FXII were greater than 0.50 U per mL except for von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen and FVIII, where 92 and 87 percent of units, respectively, contained greater than 0.50 IU per mL. Compared with historical data on FFP stored for 8 hours, fibrinogen, FV, FVIII, and FXI were reduced by 12, 15, 23, and 7 percent, respectively, but other factors were not significantly reduced. Levels of VWF-cleaving protease activity were not different between FFP prepared from paired units of blood (n = 3) held for 8 or 24 hours, but were below the reference range in an additional 2 of 6 units held for 24 hours. The activities of protein S, protein C, antithrombin III, and alpha(2)-antiplasmin were reduced by less than 10 percent in Day 1 FFP (n = 20), but with final levels above the lower limit of the normal range in greater than 95 percent of units. Activated FXII antigen was not significantly raised in plasma stored for 18 to 24 hours, but levels of prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 were slightly increased (0.88 ng/mL, 18-24 hr; 0.65 ng/mL, < 8 hr).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that there is good retention of relevant coagulation factor activity in plasma produced from whole blood stored at 4 degrees C for 18 to 24 hours and that this would be an acceptable product for most patients requiring FFP.
authors.affiliation: National Blood Service, England & North Wales, UK. rebecca.cardigan@nbs.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardigan
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lawrie
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Mackie
authors.forename: Lorna M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D001793:Blood Preservation; D003080:Cold Temperature; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors