title: Effect of adhesive properties of buffy coat on the quality of blood components produced with Top & Top and Top & Bottom bags.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Transfusion Medicine Unit of Reggio Emilia currently collects whole blood using conventional quadruple Fresenius Top & Top bags. In this study, new Fresenius Top & Bottom bags were assessed and compared to the routine method with regards to product quality and operational requirements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one whole blood units were collected with both the new and the traditional bags, and then separated. Quality control data were evaluated and compared in order to estimate yield and quality of final blood components obtained with the two systems. We collected other bags, not included in the ordinary quality control programme, for comparison of platelet concentrates produced by pools of buffy coat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the traditional system, the whole blood units processed with Top & Bottom bags yielded larger plasma volumes (+5.7%) and a similar amount of concentrated red blood cells, but with a much lower contamination of lymphocytes (-61.5%) and platelets (-86.6%). Consequently, the pooled platelets contained less plasma (-26.3%) and were significantly richer in platelets (+17.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study investigated the effect of centrifugation on the adhesiveness of the buffy coat to the bag used for whole blood collection. We analysed the mechanism by which this undesirable phenomenon affects the quality of packed red blood cells in two types of bags. We also documented the incomparability of measurements on platelet concentrates performed with different principles of cell counting: this vexing problem has important implications for biomedical research and for the establishment of universal product standards. Our results support the conclusion that the Top & Bottom bags produce components of higher quality than our usual system, while having equal operational efficiency. Use of the new bags could result in an important quality improvement in blood components manufacturing.
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cerelli
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nocera
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Erminia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Bartolomeo
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panzani
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baricchi
mesh_terms: D058621:Blood Buffy Coat; D001782:Blood Donors; D001792:Blood Platelets; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010983:Plateletpheresis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D011786:Quality Control