Quality and safety of fresh-frozen plasma inactivated and leucoreduced with the Theraflex methylene blue system including the Blueflex filter: 5 years' experience.
OBJECTIVE
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.


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.
Politis
C
C
3rd Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, General Hospital G. Gennimatas, Athens, Greece. cpolitis@hol.gr
Kavallierou
L
L
Hantziara
S
S
Katsea
P
P
Triantaphylou
V
V
Richardson
C
C
Tsoutsos
D
D
Anagnostopoulos
N
N
Gorgolidis
G
G
Ziroyannis
P
P
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005374:Filtration; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D008751:Methylene Blue; D010949:Plasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000009:adverse effects; D011786:Quality Control; D012449:Safety; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D008751:Methylene Blue