Comparison of Blood Coagulation Tests in Fresh Frozen Plasma Thawed at 37 and 45 Degrees Celsius
Keywords:
Coagulation parameters, Fresh frozen plasma, Plasma thawingAbstract
Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is an important blood component used in the treatment of bleeding, particularly in emergency situations where rapid administration is required. The thawing temperature and the post-thaw storage duration affect the quality of coagulation factors. This study aimed to compare prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) in FFP thawed at 37°C and 45°C. A total of 150 plasma segments from 100 FFP units were divided into two experimental sets. The first set, PT and aPTT were measured immediately after thawing at 37°C and 45°C for 5 minutes and after 24 hours of storage. The second set, FFP was thawed at 45°C for 20 minutes, with PT measured immediately and after 24 hours of storage, and aPTT measured immediately and after 6, 12, and 24 hours of storage. The results showed that the temperature and duration of thawing did not significantly affect PT and aPTT when compared at the same time points. However, storage after thawing for 24 hours resulted in a significant increase in both PT and aPTT (p < 0.0001). PT increased by 5.5–6.2%, and aPTT increased by 14.2–21.7%, depending on the thawing temperature and duration of thawing. These findings indicate that post-thaw storage impacts plasma quality, particularly aPTT, which is highly sensitive to storage duration. Therefore, FFP should be used immediately after thawing. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the stability of specific coagulation factors before applying the thawing method at 45°C in clinical practice.
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