How can we encourage our voluntary non ‐remunerated donors to donate more frequently?
ConclusionAlthough increasing the frequency of donation by existing donors would provide benefit, relatively little is known about how to achieve this. This review identifies a range of possible techniques that Blood Collection Agencies (BCAs) can use to optimize the frequency of donations obtained. (Source: ISBT Science Series)
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: B. M. Masser, T. E. Davison, C. M. Chapman Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Overcoming blood supply challenges in multi ‐ethnic donor and patient populations: the Malaysia experience
The blood transfusion service in Malaysia began in the 1950s and has since evolved into the national transfusion medicine service (NBTS) today, which is based on voluntary non‐remunerated donations as outlined in the national blood transfusion policy. Malaysia, a country of over 31 million people, is made up of a multi‐ethnic, multireligious and multicultural population. The diverse donation landscape presents unique challenges to the blood supply. These challenges become more pronounced during festive holidays, which are observed and celebrated differently across the diverse population. The NBTS relies on the goodwill...
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: K. Wooi Seong Tags: Original Paper Source Type: research
Non antibody ‐mediated TRALI – current understanding
Transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) is suggested to follow a ‘two‐hit’ mechanism. The ‘first hit’ is the underlying condition of the patient (e.g. sepsis) resulting in priming of neutrophils and/or endothelium. The ‘second hit’ is any transfusion resulting in activation of the primed neutrophils and/or endothelium. The transfusion factors can be divided into antibody‐mediated and non‐antibody‐mediated TRALI. Antibody‐mediated TRALI is caused by passive infusion of donor antibodies reacting with the cognate antigen of the recipient. Non‐antibody‐mediated TRALI is thought to be caused by...
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: A. L. Peters, A. P. J. Vlaar Tags: Invited Review Source Type: research
The Indonesian approach to reduce maternal mortality
ConclusionIndonesia has high maternal mortality that mostly due to haemorrhage. The unavailability of blood contributes to maternal mortality. Increasing people's awareness and willingness to donating blood voluntarily is expected to increase blood supply and improve management of postnatal haemorrhage. (Source: ISBT Science Series)
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: Y. S. M. Soedarmono Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
West Nile Virus preparedness plan to ensure safe blood components in Switzerland: a risk ‐based approach
ConclusionsThe risk for WNV transmission through blood products is low even when 100 autochthonous WNV cases would be detected. With this in mind, the blood transfusion services and the national health authorities established a cost‐efficient WNV preparedness plan to prevent WNV transfusion–transmission and maintain self‐sufficiency in the blood supply. (Source: ISBT Science Series)
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: C. Niederhauser, S. Fontana, A. Glauser, C. Steinemann, A. Koller Tags: Original Paper Source Type: research
HLA typing in diverse populations
The human leucocyte antigens (HLA) genes are part of the major histocompatibility complex and are the most polymorphic gene complex in the human genome. The HLA genes are hyperpolymorphic, that is many forms of the genes (alleles) at each locus. The HLA molecules play a critical role in our immune defence, and the extreme diversity ensures a robust immune response. Over many generations, HLA types are retained through immune advantage which may be the basis of the high frequency of some HLA alleles in specific regions. Geographical, language or religious influences can further influence regional HLA allele frequency. The H...
Source: ISBT Science Series - December 1, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: R. Holdsworth, M. Diviney Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Mechanisms of haem toxicity in haemolysis and protection by the haem ‐binding protein, haemopexin
Haem (iron‐protoporphyrin IX) is vital to aerobic life. However, haemolysis generates massive amounts of free haem that can be maintained for several days. Haem is toxic because the chemical reactions of haem that occur in the presence of oxygen can destroy most biological molecules and haem activates cells of the immune system to drive inflammation. Haemopexin captures haem and disarms its chemical activity, thus protecting cells and molecules in biological fluids from haem toxicity. A surprisingly large number of disease states characterized by haemolysis or complicated by haemolysis (e.g. sickle cell disease, sepsis, ...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 30, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: A. Smith, R. J. McCulloh Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Red cell antibodies – clinical significance or just noise?
Red cell antibodies can cause mortality and morbidity in both transfusion and antenatal settings and also have relevance in transplantation. A clinically significant antibody can be defined as one capable of causing accelerated destruction of a significant proportion of transfused cells, or one capable of crossing the placenta and causing haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. The specificity, Ig class, thermal range and concentration of the antibody can predict clinical significance; however, the clinical situation and patient's individual immune response are also significant factors. The aim is to detect antibodies...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 30, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: J. White Tags: Invited Review Source Type: research
HLA ‐stripped platelets: preclinical developments and clinical outlooks
Antibodies to foreign HLA class I can form in patients exposed to allogeneic cells, for example during blood transfusion. During platelet transfusions, these anti‐HLA class I antibodies can bind to transfused platelets and mediate their destruction, causing platelet refractoriness. Providing HLA‐matched platelets is a therapeutic option for immunized patients. However, sometimes HLA‐matched donors cannot be found or are too few, leading to suboptimal treatment and risks of bleedings. An alternative is to strip standard platelets of HLA class I using a brief incubation at low pH. Such HLA‐stripping results in a redu...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 30, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: S. Meinke, C. Karlstr öm, G. Gryfelt, A. Wikman, P. Höglund Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
The use of red cell units containing additives in large volume neonatal transfusion in neonatology units in the USA
(Source: ISBT Science Series)
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 30, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: R. Pyles, J. Lowery, M. Delaney Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research
Prevention of transfusion ‐transmitted malaria
Transfusion‐transmitted malaria (TTM) occurs when the Plasmodium found in the transfusion recipient and corresponding blood donor are genotypically identical. All five species of Plasmodium are known to cause TTM. Transfusion transmission of Plasmodium has been estimated between 14 and 28 per cent in regions, where about a quarter to half of the population carries the parasite. The presentation and clinical severity of transfusion‐transmitted malaria may differ between malaria‐endemic and non‐endemic countries. Elements critical to outcomes in recipients include parasite load transfused, patient anti‐Plasmodium t...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 30, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: S. Owusu ‐Ofori, J.‐P. Allain, A. Owusu‐Ofori Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Neutrophil alloantigens and alloantibodies in different populations
Neutrophils are dynamic, motile cells that provide the first line of defence against many pathogens. Therefore, neutrophils are equipped with a number of receptors. Some of these receptors are known polymorphic carrying immunogenic structures. Immunization against these antigenic structures, known as human neutrophil antigen (HNA), can lead to the production of antibodies. These antibodies are implicated in a number of clinical conditions including immune‐mediated neutropenia, refractoriness to granulocyte transfusions and transfusion‐related acute lung injury. Based on the development of molecular genotyping, intensiv...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 22, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: Wenjie Xia, Piyapong Simtong, Sentot Santoso Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Red blood cell storage lesion
The introduction of omics technologies, in particular proteomics and metabolomics in the field of transfusion medicine, has unveiled the complexity of the storage lesion. Even though it is now universally accepted that the storage lesion affects red cell survival upon transfusion and thus, theoretically, the safety and effectiveness of the transfusion therapy, no significant association between storage duration and transfusion outcomes has been observed in any of the large‐scale randomized clinical trials performed so far. This disconnection between laboratory and clinical evidence may be in part reconciled by the apprec...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 20, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: A. D'Alessandro Tags: Invited Review Source Type: research
What does your data tell you? How transfusion chain data can support managerial decision ‐making
ConclusionAnalyses of routinely collected data may provide invaluable information to support decision‐making. The information obtained may not only support decisions made, but may in addition allow quantification of the impact of the decision and provide guidance on how potential improvements are best achieved. (Source: ISBT Science Series)
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 20, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: M. P. Janssen Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
Pathophysiology of extracellular haemoglobin: use of animal models to translate molecular mechanisms into clinical significance
The blood's major gas exchange is carried out by haemoglobin, a haeme protein that binds iron and oxygen and can have potentially dangerous side‐effects due to redox reactions. Haemoglobin is a very abundant molecule with a concentration of 150 g/l in whole blood, resulting in almost one kg haemoglobin in an adult human body. Normal turnover of red blood cells results in significant haemoglobin release, and pathological conditions that involve haemolysis can lead to massive haemoglobin levels. To control for the potential threat of extracellular haemoglobin, several protective defence systems have evolved. Many pathologi...
Source: ISBT Science Series - November 20, 2016 Category: Hematology Authors: E. Smeds, O. Romantsik, Å. Jungner, L. Erlandsson, M. Gram Tags: Congress Review Source Type: research
