Transfusion
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In August 2005, the Canadian Blood Services decreased the deferral period for tattooing and ear or body piercing from 12 to 6 months. This study assessed the impact of this change on blood safety and availability. ⋯ There was no measurable adverse effect on safety and a positive but less than expected effect on blood availability after shortening the deferral period for tattoo and piercing. The length of other temporary deferrals should be reassessed, since their current contribution to blood safety may be negligible.
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Methylene blue (MB) treatment of plasma is known to reduce the activity of clotting factors, but its effect on thrombin generation and clot formation is not well documented. ⋯ It is concluded that MB treatment is associated with a reduction in the thrombin-generating capacity of plasma, but has very little effect on the strength of clot formation as assessed by thrombelastometry. The thrombin-generating capacity of standard and MB plasma is relatively unaltered by subsequent storage of thawed plasma at 4 degrees C for 24 hours.