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Blood Transfus 2019 Feb 4:1-8. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Division of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, "Luigi Sacco" University Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Background: There is a lack of prospective clinical trials specifically designed to evaluate the benefits of prophylaxis with vWF/FVIII concentrates in patients with inherited von Willebrand disease (vWD). The aim of the study was to compare efficacy of secondary long-term prophylaxis (PRO) with vWF/FVIII in the prevention of bleeding episodes in severe vWD patients to standard of care (on-demand treatment; ODT).

Materials And Methods: In this 12-month, phase III, open-label study (PRO. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Dec 13:1-10. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.

Background: In thrombocytopenic patients better assessment of bleeding risk than that provided by platelet count alone is required. Multiplate aggregometry and thromboelastography (TEG) could be used, but information on their role in such patients is limited. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of Multiplate analyses in patients with haematological malignancies. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Feb 4:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Haemophilia Centre, University Hospital of Padua, Padua, Italy.

Intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) is the most serious event in haemophiliacs, resulting in high rates of mortality and disability. Although the use of a prophylaxis regimen has improved outcomes, the mortality caused by ICH is still around 20%. ICH is more frequent at two different ages: in childhood (mostly in children aged ≤2 years) and in adulthood (with known risk factors such as hypertension and age ≥60 years). Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Feb 4:1-9. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Departments of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United State of America.

Background: Increased systemic fibrinolytic activity can occur in liver transplant recipients after the donor graft is reperfused. However, it remains unclear whether this is related solely to tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) levels or whether unique metabolic changes can alter t-PA activity and enhance fibrinolytic activity. We hypothesise that an increase in sensitivity to t-PA-mediated fibrinolysis (StF) following liver reperfusion is associated with specific metabolic abnormalities. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Feb 4:1-6. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Foundation, Milan, Italy.

In persons with haemophilia (PWH), the importance of comprehensive disease management to prevent bleeding, joint damage and secondary diseases has been well established. However, because haemophilia is a chronic disease, intervention programmes carried out for prolonged periods of time may create problems of patient adherence. Driven by continuous technological innovation, telemedicine is being increasingly proposed as a way to provide PWH with a range of services designed to improve their health, saving the time and cost involved in going to the treatment centre, and increasing therapeutic adherence. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Feb 4:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Haemophilia and Thrombosis Center and Fondazione Luigi Villa, Milan, Italy.

Blood Transfus 2018 Dec 13:1-13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, United States of America.

Background: Understanding the molecular mechanisms in perturbation of the metabolome following ischaemia and reperfusion is critical in developing novel therapeutic strategies to prevent the sequelae of post-injury shock. While the metabolic substrates fueling these alterations have been defined, the relative contribution of specific organs to the systemic metabolic reprogramming secondary to ischaemic or haemorrhagic hypoxia remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: A porcine model of selected organ ischaemia was employed to investigate the relative contribution of liver, kidney, spleen and small bowel ischaemia/reperfusion to the plasma metabolic phenotype, as gleaned through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 22:1-6. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Transfusion Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Hypofibrinogenaemia is a common complication of multiple trauma with severe traumatic brain injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale score of the head ≥4; body ≥3). In Japan, neither fibrinogen concentrate nor cryoprecipitate is permitted to treat acquired hypofibrinogenaemia with the purpose of rapidly restoring a haemostatic level of fibrinogen. The aim of this study was to investigate transfusion usage and mortality in patients with multiple trauma and severe traumatic brain injury who were given a cryoprecipitate prepared in-house, comparing those administered the product early or later. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan;17(1):27-52

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States of America.

Red blood cells (RBCs) are a specialised organ that enabled the evolution of multicellular organisms by supplying a sufficient quantity of oxygen to cells that cannot obtain oxygen directly from ambient air via diffusion, thereby fueling oxidative phosphorylation for highly efficient energy production. RBCs have evolved to optimally serve this purpose by packing high concentrations of haemoglobin in their cytosol and shedding nuclei and other organelles. During their circulatory lifetimes in humans of approximately 120 days, RBCs are poised to transport oxygen by metabolic/redox enzymes until they accumulate damage and are promptly removed by the reticuloendothelial system. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan;17(1):4-15

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: Chronic red blood cell transfusion is the first-line treatment for severe forms of thalassaemia. This therapy is, however, hampered by a number of adverse effects, including red blood cell alloimmunisation. The aim of this systematic review was to collect the current literature data on erythrocyte alloimmunisation. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan;17(1):1-3

Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America.

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 9:1-10. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Coagulation Laboratory, Department of Pathology, "Mater Dei" Hospital, Msida, Malta.

Background: Fibrinogen is produced in the liver and tends to be reduced in liver cirrhosis. Quantitative and qualitative tests exist to measure fibrinogen. We aimed to validate the functional fibrinogen thromboelastography assay (FF-TEG) and propose a new model to estimate fibrinogen levels via the Clauss method (Clauss) using data from a prothrombin time-derived fibrinogen assay (PT-Fg) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Oct 24:1-6. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Laboratory of Haematology, Cellular and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Casablanca, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco.

Background: To date, more than 650 (weak and partial) Rh variants have been reported. Nature and frequency of these variants are known to be ethnodependent. In transfusion medicine, their identification is important to ensure blood safety. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 7;17(1):84. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.

Blood Transfus 2018 Oct 8:1-8. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis Unit, Fondazione IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo (Foggia), Italy.

Background: Congenital fibrinogen disorders are caused by variants occurring within the fibrinogen gene cluster. We describe ten subjects with disease-causative variants, adding information on such disorders.

Materials And Methods: Ten subjects were referred to our Centre because of likely hypo/dysfibrinogenaemia. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Oct 24:1-10. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Haematology Unit, Thrombosis and Haemostasis Reference Regional Center, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Background: Management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with haematologic malignancies and thrombocytopenia is clinically challenging due to the related risks. No prospective studies or clinical trials have been carried out and, therefore, no solid evidence on this compelling issue is available.

Methods: Given this, an expert panel endorsed by the Gruppo Italiano Malattie Ematologiche dell'Adulto Working Party on Thrombosis and Haemostasis was set up to produce a formal consensus, according to the RAND method, in order to issue clinical recommendations about the platelet (PLT) cut-off for safe administration of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in thrombocytopenic (PLT <100×10/L) adult patients with haematologic malignancies affected by acute (<1 month) or non-acute VTE. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 7:1-10. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, New Haven, CT, Unites States of America.

Background: Factors influencing the development of alloantibodies against blood group antigens on transfused red blood cells are poorly defined. We hypothesised that transfused platelets may act as a danger signal to recipients and affect humoral immune responses to transfused red blood cells.

Materials And Methods: Platelet-rich plasma prepared from wild-type C57BL/6 or CD40L knockout donors was transfused into wild-type or CD40L knock-out recipients. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Oct 16:1-8. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Perioperative Transfusion Medicine, Department of Surgical Specialties, Biochemistry and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Málaga, Spain.

Absolute or functional iron deficiency is the most prevalent cause of anaemia in surgical patients, and its correction is a fundamental strategy within "Patient Blood Management" programmes. Offering perioperative oral iron for treating iron deficiency anaemia is still recommended, but intravenous iron has been demonstrated to be superior in most cases. However, the long-standing prejudice against intravenous iron administration, which is thought to induce anaphylaxis, hypotension and shock, still persists. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 7;16(Supplement no. 4):s415-s562. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov;16(6):473-474

Department of Anesthesiology Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America.

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov;16(6):471-472

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Blood Transfus 2018 Sep 3:1-6. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Blood Transfusion Department, Ruijin Hospital, Medical School of Shanghai, Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Background: A weak ABO subgroup is one of the most important causes of an ABO blood grouping discrepancy. Here, we investigated the distribution of weak ABO subgroups in the Chinese population and identified ten novel weak ABO subgroup alleles.

Material And Methods: We performed phenotype investigations by serological studies, analysed the DNA sequence of the ABO gene by direct sequencing or sequencing after cloning, and evaluated the role of glycosyltransferase mutations by in silico analysis and in vitro expression assay. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Sep 5:1-7. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

Food and Drug Administration, CBER, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America.

Background: The storage properties of apheresis platelets suspended in the experimental additive solution PAS-5 and 10% plasma may be affected by the collection instrument or storage container.

Methods And Experimental Design: The same consenting 12 donors provided A or T platelets with concurrent plasma on four occasions in 100% plasma. Following collection and resting, the platelets were centrifuged, and plasma was expressed and resuspended in PAS-5 to yield units with 10% plasma. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 3;16(6):525-534. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Almar Therapeutics Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia.

Selecting therapeutic products for the treatment of haemophilia follows the process of obtaining market approval of products submitted to the scrutiny of a regulatory agency. In well-resourced countries, key decisions on whether a product is sufficiently safe and of high quality are made by highly expert and well-resourced agencies, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). In countries lacking such agencies, well-informed decisions can still be made through an appreciation of the key issues affecting the quality, safety and efficacy of haemophilia products. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 3;16(6):490-497. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Aragón Health Sciences Institute, Zaragoza, Spain.

Background: Total hip arthroplasty entails considerable peri-operative blood loss, which may lead to acute post-operative anaemia and red blood cell transfusion. This study was aimed at assessing whether the addition of topical tranexamic acid to our ongoing blood-saving protocol for total hip arthroplasty was effective and safe.

Materials And Methods: A pragmatic, prospective, open-label randomised study of patients scheduled for total hip arthroplasty at a single centre was conducted. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 3;16(6):502-513. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the benefit of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in non-surgical orthopaedic procedures.

Material And Methods: We searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (through PUBMED), Embase, and SCOPUS. We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies and checked reference lists to identify additional studies. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 3;16(6):483-489. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: Despite improvements in blood donor selection and screening procedures, transfusion recipients can still develop complications related to infections by known and emerging pathogens. Pathogen reduction technologies (PRT) have been developed to reduce such risks. The present study, developed whithin a wider health technology assessment (HTA) process, was undertaken to estimate the costs of the continuing increase in the use of platelet PRT in Italy. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 09;16(5):405-407

Bioethics Unit, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Blood Transfus 2018 Jul 17:1-10. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment partially replaces antibody defects and modulates innate and adaptive immune cells in patients with primary antibody deficiencies.

Materials And Methods: This study was focused on the evaluation of the effects of in vivo IVIg administration on neutrophils from patients with common variable immune disorders (CVID). We examined polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) phagocytosis, PMN oxidative burst, release of neutrophil elastase, serum level of interleukin-8 and PMN expression of CXCR1, CD11c and CD66b. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Jul 6:1-3. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Childern's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.

Blood Transfus 2018 Jun 26:1-6. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Rare Blood Cell Disease Unit, "Cardarelli" Hospital, Naples, Italy.

Background: Transfusion dependency determines iron overload in thalassaemia major, with devastating complications. Significant liver iron overload has been observed from early childhood and we aimed to evaluate factors that could predict liver iron overload at the first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: All transfusion-dependent children who underwent MRI to assess iron overload were retrospectively studied. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 09 26;16(5):422-432. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: In Italy nucleic acid testing (NAT) became mandatory for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 2002 and for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus in 2008. The aim of this study was to monitor the incidence and prevalence of HIV and HCV infections in Italian blood donors and the current residual risk of these infections after the introduction of NAT.

Materials And Methods: The Italian national blood surveillance system includes data from tests used to screen for transfusion-transmissible infections. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 09 26;16(5):438-442. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Background: An analytic-decision model was built to estimate the cost-effectiveness of using ferric carboxymaltose for pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation in patients with iron deficiency anaemia undergoing primary knee arthroplasty.

Materials And Methods: We simulated 20,000 patients who were randomly assigned to the haemoglobin optimisation arm or the non-optimisation control arm in a strict 1:1 ratio. The main outcomes were cost per patient transfusion avoided and red blood cell units spared. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 May;16(Supplement no. 1):s3-s234

Blood Transfus 2018 May 3:1-2. Epub 2018 May 3.

Etablissement Français du Sang Île de France, France.

Blood Transfus 2018 Nov 9;16(6):514-524. Epub 2018 Apr 9.

Regional Blood Centre of Emilia-Romagna, "Maggiore" Hospital, Bologna, Italy.

Background: Foetal RHD genotyping can be predicted by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using cell-free foetal DNA extracted from maternal plasma. The object of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of non-invasive RHD foetal genotyping, using a commercial multiple-exon assay, as a guide to appropriate administration of targeted antenatal immunoprophylaxis.

Material And Methods: Cell-free foetal DNA was extracted from plasma of RhD-negative women between 11-30 weeks of pregnancy. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 May 11:1-6. Epub 2018 May 11.

Department of Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine (CVK), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Germany.

Background: Apixaban is a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) with a specific inhibition of activated factor X (FXa). In case of bleeding or need of urgent surgery a direct antidote is not yet available. Off-label application of non-specific haemostatic agents, such as prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) and recombinant FVIIa (rFVIIa), has been reported to reverse the effects of apixaban in in vitro and animal studies. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 4;17(1):83. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

Navarra Blood and Tissue Bank, Pamplona, Spain.

Blood Transfus 2018 09 4;16(5):413-421. Epub 2018 May 4.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: In Europe, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is mainly a food-borne zoonosis, but it can also be transmitted by blood transfusion. It is usually a mild and self-limited infection. However, immunocompromised persons, who are also those more likely to undergo blood transfusions, may develop chronic hepatitis and often cirrhosis. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 07 13;16(4):352-357. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

Paediatric Onco-haematology Unit, Azienda "Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele", Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.

Blood Transfus 2018 09 8;16(5):433-437. Epub 2018 May 8.

Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, "Carlo Poma" Hospital, Mantua, Italy.

The diagnostic approach to patients with intravascular haemolysis remains challenging, since no first-line laboratory test seems to be entirely suitable for the screening of this condition. Recent evidence shows that an enhanced cell-free haemoglobin (fHb) concentration in serum or plasma is a reliable marker of red blood cell injury, and may also predict clinical outcomes in patients with different forms of haemolytic anaemias. However, the routine use of the haemiglobincyanide assay, the current reference method for measuring fHb, seems unsuitable for a timely diagnosis of intravascular haemolysis, for many safety and practical reasons. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 07 3;16(4):329-337. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Background: A number of clinical systematic review and meta-analysis have been published on the use of tranexamic in the obstetric setting. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss when given prior to caesarean delivery.

Materials And Methods: We searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialized Register, Cochrane Central, MEDLINE (through PUBMED), Embase, and SCOPUS electronic databases. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 Apr 4:1-5. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

Department of Anesthesiology, Magee Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.

Background: Blood clots discovered within body cavities intra-operatively are often manually broken up and placed in an autotransfusion device to recover autologous blood cells. This study evaluated the efficiency at which these red blood cells can be recovered from clot and to determine if these cells would be free of fibrin and clumping which might pose a risk of micro-emboli.

Materials And Methods: Whole blood was aliquoted into 25 mL volume samples. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 07 3;16(4):321-323. Epub 2018 May 3.

Haematology, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 28;17(1):72-82. Epub 2018 Feb 28.

Transfusion Service, Haemophilia Centre and Haematology, Castelfranco Veneto Hospital, Castelfranco Veneto, Italy.

Background: Since 2001, we have used conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (CSGE) as our first choice for F9 gene mutation screening, leading to the identification of about 300 mutations causing haemophilia B (HB). To circumvent the disadvantages of CSGE, we recently evaluated high-resolution melting analysis (HRM), which represents the next-generation mutation scanning technology.

Materials And Methods: In order to explore and validate HRM as a new screening method, we analysed 26 HB patients with previous CSGE-detected mutations, 22 patients with CSGE-undetectable mutations and 13 HB patients who had not been previously investigated. Read More

Blood Transfus 2018 09 14;16(5):447-456. Epub 2018 Feb 14.

Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America.

Blood Transfus 2018 07 5;16(4):324-325. Epub 2018 Mar 5.

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

Blood Transfus 2018 09 14;16(5):457-461. Epub 2018 Feb 14.

Scientific Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

One of the most challenging issues facing us in the treatment of haemophilia is the development of alloantibodies against infused factor VIII (FVIII) or factor IX (FIX). Inhibitors render factor replacement therapy ineffective, exposing patients to an unacceptably high risk of morbidity and mortality. Besides the well-known bypassing agents (i. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 11;17(1):60-65. Epub 2018 Jan 11.

INCTs, Unicamp Blood Centre, Campinas, Brazil.

Background: Vel is a high frequency blood group antigen and its alloantibody is involved in haemolytic transfusion reactions. After elucidation of the molecular basis of the Vel-negative phenotype defined by a 17-base pair deletion in SMIM1, genotyping has been the technique of choice to identify the Vel-negative phenotype, and molecular investigations have contributed to explain Vel expression variability. The present study was aimed at screening for Vel negative blood donors and characterising the genetic changes found in Brazilian donors with altered Vel expression. Read More

Blood Transfus 2019 Jan 15;17(1):66-71. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan", Zagreb, Croatia.

Background: The prevalence of ABO alleles is different in different populations, and many studies have shown a correlation between the occurrences of some diseases and different genotypes of ABO blood groups. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant association between psychiatric syndromes and ABO blood groups.

Materials And Methods: This case-control study involved 156 psychiatric patients and 303 healthy, unrelated, voluntary blood donors. Read More