title: Coagulation factor content of plasma produced from whole blood stored for 24 hours at ambient temperature: results from an international multicenter BEST Collaborative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is increasing international interest in producing components from blood that has been stored at room temperature for 24 hours. The lack of comprehensive data on the quality of plasma produced from blood stored in this way led to this international study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 128 units of whole blood were pooled in groups of four and split to produce 32 sets of four identical blood units that were processed either within 8 hours of blood collection or after 24-hour storage at 18 to 25°C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Storage of whole blood for 24 hours resulted in a 23% decrease in the activity of Factor (F)VIII, but not significant loss of activity of coagulation factors FV, FVII, FXI, FXII, fibrinogen, antithrombin, or von Willebrand factor. There was a small, but significant decrease in levels of FII, FIX, and FX (all <5%) as well as protein C (6%) and free protein S activity (14%). The ability of plasma to generate thrombin after 24-hour storage as whole blood was unaltered, as assessed by real-time thrombin generation tests as was the rate and strength of clot formation by rotational thombelastometry. Levels of all coagulation factors measured were above 0.50 U/mL in plasma produced from whole blood stored for 24 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data show that there is minimal effect of storing whole blood at ambient temperature for 24 hours on the coagulation activity of plasma and that this is an acceptable alternative to producing plasma on the day of blood collection.
authors.affiliation: NHS Blood and Transplant, Brentwood, UK. rebecca.cardigan@nhsbt.nhs.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardigan
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Van der Meer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pergande
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cookson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baumann-Baretti
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cancelas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gulliksson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Wildt-Eggen
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000032:analysis; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000379:methods*; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D003199:Computer Systems; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D008297:Male; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D010949:Plasma; D055550:Protein Stability; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D013696:Temperature; D013916:Thrombelastography; D013917:Thrombin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D005169:Factor VIII; D013917:Thrombin