Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Treatment of Platelet Products with Riboflavin and UV Light: Effectiveness Against High Titer Bacterial Contamination
Published on: August 24, 2015
The safety of pathogen-reduced platelet transfusions in critically ill term and preterm neonates
Alexia D'hont1,2, Ginette M Ecury-Goossen1, Ruben J Overduin3
1Department of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Neonatology, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curaçao.
Background And Objectives:
Platelet transfusions carry an important risk of infection transmission. The Mirasol Pathogen Reduction Technology system for platelets uses riboflavin and UV light to introduce irreparable lesions into nucleic acids, thereby inhibiting pathogen replication and inactivating white blood cells. The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety of pathogen-reduced platelet transfusions (PRPTs) in critically ill infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in the Caribbean.
Materials And Methods:
We conducted a descriptive retrospective study of the use of Mirasol PRPTs in patients admitted to the NICU of the general hospital in Curaçao from February 2016 to April 2023.
Results:
A total of 208 PRPTs were administered to 46 patients (median [range] transfusions per patient: 3 [1-24]). Three patients were born term, and 43 were born preterm (median [range] gestational age: 27 4/7 weeks [24 6/7-36 6/7]). PRPTs were well-tolerated and no complications occurred, especially no signs of haemolysis nor any signs of new infection within 24 h after transfusion. Twenty-one of 46 patients (46%) died during their admittance. None of the deaths were deemed related to PRPT.
Conclusion:
Mirasol PRPT appears to be safe for use in critically ill neonates, including extremely preterm neonates.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Rh Blood Group
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
02:45Blood Transfusion and Agglutination
History
The history of blood transfusion dates back to the 17th century, when early attempts were made in animals. In 1818 James Blundell, a British doctor, performed the first successful human blood transfusion. Later in 1900, Karl...