Liquid plasma versus thawed plasma: Tracking coagulation factor activity changes during storage

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Hematology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Liquid plasma (LQP) presents a longer shelf-life alternative to thawed plasma (TP) for emergent transfusions.
• Assessing coagulation factor levels in LQP is crucial for its clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure key coagulation factor activities (fibrinogen, Protein C, Protein S, Factor V, Factor VII, Factor VIII) in LQP.
• To quantify changes in these factor levels during LQP storage.
• To compare coagulation factor activity between LQP and TP.

Main Methods:

• Coagulation factor activities were measured in LQP (n=26) on days 15 and 26, and in TP (n=31) on day 5.
• Bayesian statistics were employed to compare factor activities and assess storage-related changes.

Main Results:

• LQP on day 26 showed comparable fibrinogen and Protein C activity to TP on day 5.
• Lower activities were observed in LQP for Factor V, Factor VII, Factor VIII, and significantly lower for Protein S.
• Factor VII activity in LQP decreased by 3.49% daily from day 15 to 26, while other factors remained stable.

Conclusions:

• Liquid plasma (LQP) demonstrates comparable fibrinogen, Protein C, and Factor VII levels to thawed plasma (TP).
• Lower Factor V and Protein S, and slightly lower Factor VIII activities were noted in LQP.
• LQP is a viable alternative for emergency and massive transfusion protocols.