The effect of an educational program designed to address misconceptions about the perioperative transfusion of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) was examined. Results of a baseline audit of FFP use were compared to those of a study subsequent to the educational process. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that the decrease in the number of patients transfused with FFP, from 32 of 2077 operative cases in Group A (baseline) to 18 of 2540 operative cases in Group B (after education), was significant (p less than 0.01). Analysis of the justifications given for transfusion of FFP revealed that the increase in acceptable indications from 47 percent in Group A to 78 percent in Group B was also significant (p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in units of FFP transfused per patient (Group A, 3.66 +/- 3.2, vs. Group B, 2.47 +/- 1.7) or red cells (Group A, 2.84 +/- 5.2, vs. Group B, 5.22 +/- 4.4), and the patterns of platelet transfusion were similar in the two groups. There was a significant difference in the postoperative partial thromboplastin time (Group A, 38.2 +/- 8.7 vs. Group B, 56.3 +/- 24 seconds, p less than 0.01) but no significant difference in postoperative prothrombin time (Group A, 14.1 +/- 2.6 vs. Group B, 15.4 +/- 3.3 seconds). It can be concluded that an educational program designed to address misconceptions in transfusion practice can alter physician performance and thereby reduce the inappropriate use of FFP.

The effectiveness of different methods of leukoreduction in preventing alloimmune platelet refractoriness was evaluated in a canine model. Platelets from a random donor dog were administered for up to 8 weeks or until platelet refractoriness. Standard (STD; unmodified) platelets were accepted by 14% of recipients (n = 7) compared with 14% for centrifuge leukoreduced (C-LR) platelets (n = 21) and 31% for filter leukoreduced (F-LR) platelets (n = 13; no significant differences). Surprisingly, using both F-LR and C-LR platelets was highly effective (87% acceptance, n = 15). Transfusing F-LR/C-LR red blood cells (n = 4) or F-LR/C-LR plasma (n = 4), along with F-LR/C-LR platelets, did not affect platelet acceptance (100% acceptance). Overall acceptance of F-LR/C-LR platelets was 91% (n = 23; P ≤ .05 versus STD, C-LR, or F-LR platelets). F-LR/C-LR transfusions also induced tolerance to subsequent STD platelet transfusions from the same donor (82% acceptance, n = 19) as well as to donor skin grafts without recipient immunosuppression (57% acceptance, n = 7). To evaluate mechanisms of tolerance induction, F-LR/C-LR platelets were γ-irradiated. Although the γ-irradiated F-LR/C-LR platelets were uniformly accepted (n = 6), tolerance to STD platelets was lost. These data suggest that some allostimulatory white cells are filter adherent, whereas others escape filtration but can be removed by centrifugation and tolerance requires a residual functioning white cell.

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