Report on 50 cases of severe acute hypotension at donor plasmaphereses: treatment and course

This paper reports our experience in 50 cases with severe hypotensive reactions at plasma donations (synonymous with donor plasmaphereses).

Plasma donors who developed a severe acute hypotensive reaction at donor plasmapheresis, and were treated by placing the donor in the Trendelenburg position and rapid infusion of 1,000 mL saline were investigated. Plasmaphereses were performed with the Haemonetics® plasma collecting system 2 (PCS2). The results were analyzed using Excel.

We observed 50 severe hypotensive reactions in plasma donors. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP) were 128/75 mmHg - and heart rates were 78 beats/min (B/M) before plasmaphereses, 83/56 mmHg - 60 B/M at the event, and after treatment 119/71 mmHg - 69 B/M at the time of discharge. The volume of collected plasma was 602 ± 240 mL including anticoagulant (AC). The time until the event was 45 ± 20 minutes. With treatment 49 ± 18 minutes after the event all plasma donors had normal blood pressures and heart rates and could safely leave the center.

Treatment by placing the donor in the Trendelenburg position and rapid infusion of 1,000 mL saline appears to be an effective procedure for resolving severe acute hypotension associated with donor plasmaphereses.