Effect of 24-hour whole-blood storage on plasma clotting factors

BACKGROUND: The current requirements for the preparation of fresh-frozen pl asma within 8 hours of whole-blood collection were designed to maintain clo tting factor activities. These requirements, however, limit the production of fresh-frozen plasma in a large blood center. There are few data on the e ffect of the extension of CPD whole-blood storage to 24 hours on clotting f actor activity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A 500-mL unit of whole blood was collected from 1 0 volunteer donors. At 1 hour after collection, a plasma sample was separat ed by centrifugation, and each unit was equally divided into 2 half-units, with 1 half-unit stored at 4 degrees C (range, 1-6 degrees C) and I half-un it stored at 22 degrees C (range, 20-24 degrees C) for 8 hours after collec tion. Each half-unit was then placed at 4 degrees C for further storage for 16 hours. At 8 and 24 hours after collection, plasma samples were separate d from each half-unit. All plasma samples were frozen at -18 degrees C. Fac tors V, VII, VIII, and X; fibrinogen; antithrombin III; protein C; and prot ein S were measured. RESULTS: No significant changes were noted in factors V,VII, and X; fibrino gen; antithrombin III; protein C; and protein S over the 24-hour storage pe riod. Factor VIII in both half-units was significantly reduced, by 13 perce nt, from the baseline sample as compared to the level in the 8-hour storage sample (p<0.05). Factor VIII was further reduced by 15 to 20 percent after the 24-hour storage period (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The coagulation factor activity for all factors measured, with the exception of factor VIII, showed no significant change over the 24-hour storage period. Factor VIII was significantly decreased by 13 percent in 8 -hour storage and by an additional 15 to 20 percent in 24-hour storage. For clinical situations not requiring the replacement of factor VIII only, 24- hour frozen plasma has properties comparable to those of fresh-frozen plasm a.