Transfusion
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The survival of fresh and preserved platelets has been used primarily to determine their therapeutic effectiveness. The function of the fresh and preserved platelets has been difficult to assess. In stable thrombocytopenic patients, platelet function of fresh and preserved allogeneic platelets is evaluated by the reduction in bleeding time. In this study of healthy male baboons, both the survival and function of autologous fresh, liquid-preserved, and cryopreserved platelets in the correction of an aspirin-induced thrombocytopathy was evaluated. ⋯ The survival of autologous fresh, liquid-preserved, or cryopreserved platelets did not correlate with their function to reduce an increased bleeding time in baboons treated with aspirin.
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Comparative Study
A case-control study of the impact of WBC reduction on the cost of hospital care for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
WBC reduction of blood components may reduce the incidence of transfusion reactions. The cost of this intervention might be offset by a reduction in the incidence of postoperative infection, thereby reducing the length of hospital stay and thus the cost of care for patients receiving transfusion. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center provided WBC-reduced blood components to all patients for a period of 2 years, creating an opportunity to compare the incidence of postoperative infection, length of hospital stay, and total hospital costs for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, before, during, and after WBC reduction. ⋯ The cost of providing a totally WBC-reduced blood supply may not be offset by immediate savings related to decreased postoperative infections, reduced length of hospital stay, and cost of hospital care.
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Residual risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV and HIV infections by antibody-screened blood in Italy.
This study was designed to assess the risk of transmitting HCV and HIV by transfusion of antibody-screened blood and to estimate the additional reduction in risk that may be achieved through the implementation of direct viral detection assays in Italy. ⋯ The residual risk of HCV or HIV transmission through screened blood is currently very small in Italy. The implementation of direct viral detection assays can further improve the safety of blood supply.