Vox Sanguinis highlights

Article Highlights:

• Cryoprecipitate stored at 1–6°C for 7 days meets quality specifications for coagulation factor (F) VIII (≥70 IU/unit), von Willebrand factor (>100 IU/unit) and fibrinogen (≥140 mg/unit).
• Fibrinogen concentrations remained stable for the first 48 h during post-thaw storage, with a gradual decrease over 14 days of storage (41% for apheresis- and 26% for WB-derived cryoprecipitate).
• The data from this study support extending the post-thaw shelf-life of cryoprecipitate from 6 to 72 h when stored at 1–6°C.

Article Highlights:

• The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in blood recipients was twice as high as general population estimates.
• HIV prevalence was significantly higher in females, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence was substantially higher in males.
• Patients receiving blood transfusions from the South African National Blood Service have high rates of HIV and HBV infection that should be taken into consideration when determining donor screening strategies for other viral infections.

Article Highlights:

• This study was an honest attempt to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) for goal-directed massive transfusion in real-world scenarios.
• The KPIs developed were easy to capture while providing a comprehensive overview of massive transfusion.
• The need to improve the appropriate utilization of massive transfusion should be addressed in consultation with all the stakeholders and this study helped us to come up with innovative ideas, such as an ‘Emergency Blood Request Form’ and developing a massive transfusion audit team led by a transfusion safety officer.

Article Highlights:

• Pre-donation plain water ingestion probably results in vasovagal reaction (VVR) reduction, compared to no intervention, but pre-donation caffeine- or salt-loaded water ingestion may result in a VVR reduction, compared to pre-donation water ingestion only.
• Pre-donation isotonic drink probably results in a VVR reduction, compared to the standard practice of advising to drink before donation and eating a snack immediately after donation.
• Future randomized controlled trials are required to further increase the certainty of the effect of these and other physiological interventions in the prevention of VVRs.

Article Highlights:

• Improved blood quality was seen in the washed red blood cell (RBC) group.
• The washed RBC group had lower vasoactive-inotropic score and reduced lactate levels and complications.
• Adding washed allogeneic stored RBCs to cardiopulmonary bypass priming fluid had limited impact on inflammatory and coagulation systems.