Hemostatic capability of ultrafiltrated fresh frozen plasma compared to cryoprecipitate

This in vitro study evaluated the potential hemostatic effect of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) ultrafiltration on clotting factors, coagulation parameters, and plasma properties. ABO-specific units of FFP (n = 40) were prepared for the concentrated FFP and cryoprecipitate. Plasma water was removed from FFP by ultrafiltration using a dialyzer with a pump running at a 300 mL/min. The aliquot of each concentrated FFP after 50, 100, 200, and 250 mL of fluid removal were measured the standard coagulation assay, clotting activity, and plasma properties to compare those parameters of cryoprecipitate. Concentrated FFP contained 36.5% of fibrinogen in FFP with a mean concentration of 7.2 g/L, lower than the cryoprecipitate level. The levels of factor VIII (FVIII), von Willebrand factor (VWF):antigen (Ag), and VWF:ristocetin cofactor (RCo) were also lower in concentrated FFP, whereas the levels of factor V, factor IX, factor XIII, antithrombin and albumin was higher in concentrated FFP. Maximum clot firmness (MCF) in thromboelastometry was approximately one-half of that in cryoprecipitate. Although the levels of VWF:Ag, VWF:RCo, and FVIII differed depending on the ABO blood types, fibrinogen levels, and MCF were not significantly different among the ABO blood groups in FFP and concentrated FFP.