EVALUATION OF SOLVENT DETERGENT-TREATED PLASMA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH HEREDITARY AND ACQUIRED COAGULATION DISORDERS

Haemostatic efficacy and pharmacokinetic analysis of solvent/detergent (S/D) treated, virus inactivated plasma (Octaplas(TM), Germany) was e valuated in eight patients with hereditary factor VII, X and XI defici ency and in three patients with acquired coagulation disorders due to liver disease. The patients received the S/D plasma for treatment of h aemarthrosis, menorrhagia or before surgical procedures. In all the pa tients the S/D plasma was sufficient to prevent or stop bleeding. Side effects included urticaria (one patient) and moderate anaphylactoid r eaction (one patient). No evidence of plasma-born viral infections was observed up to 12 months after the treatment (95% confidence limits 0 -22%). Calculated mean half-life of coagulation factors VII, X and XI was 4.36 h, 49.21 h and 44.5 h, respectively, similar to that observed with fresh-frozen plasma. Because of retained coagulation factor inte grity and improved viral safety, S/D plasma could be considered a supe rior alternative to standard fresh-frozen plasma.