Patient and product factors affecting platelet transfusion results

BACKGROUND: Providing patients with platelet (PLT) transfusions requires important logistic resources and represents a considerable cost factor. Optimizing PLT transfusions is in the interest of not only patient safety but also economic importance. Only few studies have evaluated factors associated with transfusion results. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a prospective single-center study, 9923 mainly prophylactic PLT transfusions given to 672 patients treated for hematologic malignancies between 1997 and 2004 were investigated. Patient and product factors were analyzed. Transfusion efficacy was measured by the corrected count increment (CCI), and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: The mean CCI of all transfusions was 14.05 (standard deviation, 9.5). The CCI correlates with the transfusion interval. PLT transfusions that resulted in a transfusion interval of 1 day or less had significantly lower CCI of 11.3 than transfusions that resulted in a transfusion interval of 2 days or more (15.57). Allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients had a significantly lower transfusion efficacy (CCI mean, 13.3) whereas patients treated with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) had better CCIs (17.2) compared to patients who were treated with chemotherapy only. Longer PLT storage time and ABO mismatch had a negative impact on transfusion efficacy. PLTs stored in PLT additive storage solution were less effective than PLTs stored in their own autologous plasma. CONCLUSION: Manipulation of PLT products may result in lower transfusion efficacy as illustrated by the introduction of PLT additive storage solution in this report. The higher number of products used per patient may negatively impact on advantages gained by the transfusion of "safer" PLT products.     

Accuracy of core temperature measurement in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

Deep hypothermia is an effective technique for neuroprotection in cardiac surgery. However, standard body temperature measurement may deviate from actual brain temperature. Therefore, we simultaneously measured brain and core temperatures during neurosurgical interventions in hypothermic circulatory arrest to determine its accuracy. Between 1994 and May 2007, 26 patients (12 female, mean age 46+/-14 years), with complex intracranial aneurysms, underwent resection or clipping applying closed chest cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermic circulatory arrest via inguinal cannulation. During surgery, temperature probes were positioned in the brain, tympanum, bladder, rectum and pulmonary artery. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 147+/-39 min, mean circulatory arrest time was 28+/-8 min. Brain temperatures were best reflected by bladder and tympanum probes (Pearson's correlation coefficients: bladder=0.83; tympanum=0.80; pulmonary artery=0.63; rectum=0.37; P<0.05). Mean deviations from brain temperature were +0.2+/-2.7 degrees C at the tympanum, -0.8+/-2.6 degrees C in the bladder, -0.7+/-2.6 degrees C in the pulmonary artery and -1.8+/-4.4 degrees C in the rectum. In conclusion, temperature monitoring in the bladder and tympanum reliably reflects brain temperature. Temperature measurements in the pulmonary artery and rectum are less optimal.     

Effect of adenosine on the growth of human T-lymphocyte leukemia cell line MOLT-4

Adenosine has been observed to suppress the growth of MOLT-4 human leukemia cells in vitro. Changes in the cell cycle, especially increased percentage of cells in S phase, prolonged generation time, and induction of apoptosis at higher adenosine concentrations have been found to be responsible for the growth suppression. Dipyridamole, a drug inhibiting the cellular uptake of adenosine, reversed partially but significantly the adenosine-induced growth suppression. It follows from these results that the action of adenosine on the MOLT-4 cells comprises its cellular uptake and intracellular operation. These findings present new data on anticancer efficacy of adenosine.