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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
Preparation of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Pellets and Plasma from a Single Blood Draw at Clinical Trial Sites for Biomarker Analysis
Published on: March 20, 2021
Prolonged (post-thaw) shelf life of -80°C frozen AB apheresis plasma
Tim W H Rijnhout1,2, Femke Noorman3, Bob De Kort3
1Department of Surgery, Alrijne Medical Center, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands.
Background:
Early plasma transfusion is important in the treatment of patients with major hemorrhage. Prolonged shelf life of AB type frozen -80°C and cold-stored (4°C) deep frozen plasma (DFP) will improve strategic stock management, minimize need for resupply, and make pre-hospital implementation more feasible.
Methods And Materials:
Plasma products type AB of different age and origin (-30°C Fresh Frozen [(FFP], -80°C DFP [short (±1 year) and long (±7 year)] stored) were thawed (Day 0), stored at 4°C, and sampled on Days 7 and 14. Additionally, samples of plasma containing blood products (Octaplas LG®, whole blood and platelets) were compared for coagulation factor activity, phospholipid clotting time (PPL), and kaolin TEG during 4°C or 22°C storage.
Results:
Coagulation profiles of FFP, short- and long-stored -80°C DFP were not significantly different after thaw. Cold storage did not affect fibrinogen, Protein C, and Antithrombin III activities whereas factor V, VII, VIII, and Protein S decreased in all blood products. After 14 days DFP still meets the guidelines for clinical use, except for Protein S (0.4 IU/mL). With exception of Octaplas LG®, phospholipid activity and TEG coagulation were similar between plasma containing blood components during storage.
Conclusion:
AB DFP quality was unaffected by almost 7 years of frozen storage. Quality of thawed 14-day stored AB DFP met, with exception of Protein S, all minimal guidelines which implies that its quality is sufficient for use in the (pre)-hospital (military) environment for treatment of major hemorrhage.
