[Indications for fresh frozen plasma: evaluation of virus inactivating preparations]

When no specific factor concentrate is available fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) is indicated in the treatment of clinically relevant hemorrhagic diathesis. These disorders include congenital factor V and XI deficiencies, multiple factor defects, as disseminated intravascular coagulation and severe liver disease, and patients receiving massive transfusions, when bleeding occurs and severe abnormalities on coagulation testing are evident. FFP is beneficial when used with plasma exchange in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and related disorders. Various virucidal treatments including solvent-detergent (SD), photoactivated dyes (methylene blue) or pasteurization have been evolved to improve virus safety of human plasma. More extensive studies to demonstrate efficient virus inactivation in plasma have been performed with SD compared to other methods. On the other hand, the use of single-donor FFP in methylene blue treatment is possibly superior to pooled plasma which is processed according to the SD procedure. Pasteurization enables the inactivation not only of lipid-enveloped but also of non-lipid-enveloped viruses. Virucidal treatment of plasma may cause alterations in clotting factors, fibrinolysis and protease inhibitors; however, the currently achieved recovery of procoagulant activities is approximately comparable with that found in untreated FFP. The toxicity of virucidal additives is reported to be negligible since manufacturing includes a removal procedure (SD) or comparably low amounts (methylene blue) are used in inactivation treatment.