VIDEO: A New Storage Solution and Filtration System to Extend Blood Product Shelf Life

Today we will be discussing a new storage solution and filtration system for blood products. Their use could increase the shelf life of red blood cells and allow overnight storage of whole blood before component processing.

Here is Dr. Larry Dumont who tested a new additive solution, AS-7, and a filtration system:

“Red blood cell additive solutions provide osmotic stabilization, metabolic fuel sources, metabolic substrates, and buffering that allow extended storage of red cells. Development of AS-7 was initiated in a quest to extend storage time for the red cell.”

AS-7 is the first new red blood cell storage solution approved by the FDA in 25 years. Current red blood cell storage solutions (AS-1, -3 and -5) allow red cells to be stored for 42 days. However, concerns about red blood cell storage lesions with the current storage solutions have been raised. AS-7 was developed to improve red blood cell metabolism and increase pH buffing capacity by adding phosphate and bicarbonate .

Dr. Dumont summarizes key aspects that were assessed in three papers recently published in TRANSFUSION:

“We evaluated 3 key aspects: 1) maintenance of plasma coagulation factors, 2) standard biochemical and cell integrity characteristics following 6 and 8 weeks of storage, plus the in vivo recovery of red cells following infusion of autologous red cells, and 3) the profile of red cells and plasma held overnight as whole blood prior to component processing.”

Dr. Dumont and his team found that red blood cell hemolysis and recovery were improved in AS-7 compared to current additive solutions, even after 56 days of storage. They also found that an overnight storage of whole blood at room temperature before processing met current regulatory requirements for red cells. Furthermore, they found that plasma separated overnight after being held at room temperature was bioequivalent to plasma prepared within 8 hours of collection, except for Factor VIII activity.

Dr. Jay Menitove wrote an editorial on the subject and has this to add:

“The implications of these findings are two-fold. One, extending red cells shelf life to 56 days which would be important in providing blood to logistically challenged regions. And secondly, and to me more important, the overnight hold results at 42 days and the potential for adopting the process with its potential quality benefits and cost savings at mobile collection sites and component laboratories.”

We’ll be back with another edition of Transfusion News on March 30. Thanks for joining us.

References

1. Cancelas JA, Dumont LJ, Maes LA, Rugg N, Herschel L, Whitley PH, Szczepiokowski ZM, Siegel AH, Hess JR, Zia M. Additive solution-7 reduces the red blood cell cold storage lesion. Transfusion 2015.
2. Dumont LJ, Cancelas JA, Maes LA, Rugg N, Whitley P, Herschel L, Siegal AH, Szczepiorkowski ZM, Hess JR, Zia M. Overnight, room temperature hold of whole blood followed by 42-day storage of red blood cells in additive solution-7. Transfusion 2015;55:485-490.
3. Dumont LJ, Cancelas JA, Maes LA, Rugg N, Whitley P, Herschel L, Siegel AH, Szczepiorkowski ZM, Hess JR, Zia M. The bioequivalence of frozen plasma prepared from whole blood held overnight at room temperature compared to fresh-frozen plasma prepared within eight hours of collection. Transfusion 2015;55:476-484.
4. Menitove J. Is Longer Better? Transfusion 2015;55:463-465.