Activity of clotting factors in fresh-frozen plasma during storage at 4 degrees C over 6 days.
BACKGROUND
Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) requires thawing, which delays availability. We investigated clotting factor activity and bacterial contamination of FFP when stored at 4 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C for 6 days.


METHODS
Plasma of 20 healthy plasma donors was sampled, frozen, and analyzed at baseline and repeatedly over a period of 6 days after thawing. The activity of fibrinogen, Factor (F)II, FV, FVII, FVIII, F IX, FX, XI, FXII, FXIII, antithrombin III (ATIII), von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF-Ag), protein C (PC), and free protein S (FPS) were determined and analyzed over time.


RESULTS
Immediately after thawing there was a significant decrease of fibrinogen (-9%), FII (-7%), FV (-14%), FVII (-12%), FX (-11%), FXIII (-20%), PC (-7%), and ATIII (-4%), whereas FVIII (+8%), F IX (+1%), FXI (+11%), FXII (-1%), FPS (-1%), and VWF-Ag (-6%) remained stable without significant change. Over 6 days after thawing fibrinogen, ATIII (+2%) and VWF-Ag (+2%) remained stable whereas FXII (+2%), FXIII (+6%), and PC (+3%) changed significantly over time and increased at the end. FII (-8%), FV (-16%), FVII (-31%), FVIII (-47%), F IX (-12%), FX (-10%), FXI (-25%), and FPS (+/-0%) changed also significantly over time and decreased at the end. All clotting factors and inhibitors remained within the reference range requested by quality assurance regulations. No FFP bag showed bacterial contamination.


CONCLUSIONS
This provides evidence for maintaining quality of thawed FFP and may improve rapid availability in emergency situations and reduce cost for health care givers.
von Heymann
Christian
C
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. christian.von_heymann@charite.de
Keller
Mareike Kristina
MK
Spies
Claudia
C
Schuster
Michael
M
Meinck
Kristian
K
Sander
Michael
M
Wernecke
Klaus-Dieter
KD
Kiesewetter
Holger
H
Pruss
Axel
A
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D011786:Quality Control; D013997:Time Factors
D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors