Coagulation Factor and Hemostatic Protein Content of Canine Plasma after Storage of Whole Blood at Ambient Temperature

Abstract

BackgroundStandard practice in canine blood banking is to produce fresh frozen plasma (FFP) by separating and freezing plasma produced from blood within 8 hours of collection. Within canine blood donation programs, this can limit the number of units collected.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThe aim was to compare the coagulation factor and hemostatic protein content (CF&HPC) of plasma produced from blood stored at ambient temperature for 8, 12, and 24 hours. Another aim was to compare the CF&HPC between Greyhound types and other breeds.AnimalsNone.MethodsIn vitro study. A convenience sample of 58 units of canine blood from a blood donor pool was processed to prepare and freeze plasma 8, 12, or 24 hours following collection.ResultsRegardless of time of processing, the units contained therapeutic CF&HPC. Frozen plasma prepared after 24 hours had significantly higher factor VIII (P = .014) and factor X (P = .03) when compared with the frozen plasma prepared at 8 hours. Factor X (P < .01), fibrinogen (P < .01), and vWF (P = .04) were significantly lower in plasma collected from Greyhound types than in plasma collected from other breeds.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceStoring whole blood for up to 24 hours is a suitable method for producing FFP. Lower values for some coagulation factors and hemostatic proteins in plasma produced from Greyhound types would not preclude these dogs as FFP donors.

Controversies in the use of fresh frozen plasma in critically ill small animal patients

“…Frozen plasma (FP) is less commonly used in veterinary medicine; it is plasma that is separated from whole blood but not frozen within 8 hours, or that has been frozen quickly but stored between 1 and 4 years. Recent evidence supports the processing of plasma within 24 hours of whole blood collection rather than 8 hours, with suitable retention of coagulation factors . FP contains the stable coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X as well as albumin …”

Influence of canine donor plasma hemostatic protein concentration on quality of cryoprecipitate

“…Variability in canine donor coagulation factor activity and VWF concentration has been documented previously . In addition, of 9 coagulation factors and hemostatic proteins measured in plasma samples from 38 donor dogs, plasma FVIII has been noted to have the greatest variability among canine donors, ranging from 31% to 225% . Fresh plasma obtained from 4 monthly blood collections from 7 healthy Greyhounds had inter‐assay coefficients of variation ranging from 11% to 34.9% for VWF and from 7.1% to 39% for FVIII .…”

“…Plasma samples were shipped overnight on dry ice to the Comparative Coagulation Laboratory at Cornell University for measurement of FVIII:C, VWF concentration, and clottable (Clauss) fibrinogen concentration, as previously described . Samples were submitted in 5 batches over 9 months, with paired samples (FFP, CPP, and CRYO) from each collection from individual donors analyzed at the same time to avoid inter‐assay variation.…”

“…Because of wide interindividual variations in plasma FVIII and VWF concentrations among healthy dogs, concern exists about uniformity and standard potency of CRYO to treat dogs with hemophilia A or VWD . It has been proposed that the target for transfusion therapy in dogs with VWD or hemophilia A is to increase the recipient's plasma VWF concentration above 35 U/dL or FVIII activity above 30 U/dL, respectively (comparable to 35% or 30%, respectively, of a canine standard assigned a value of 100%) .…”

“…It has been proposed that the target for transfusion therapy in dogs with VWD or hemophilia A is to increase the recipient's plasma VWF concentration above 35 U/dL or FVIII activity above 30 U/dL, respectively (comparable to 35% or 30%, respectively, of a canine standard assigned a value of 100%) . Although Greyhounds are commonly used as blood donors, a previous study has identified lower plasma VWF and fibrinogen concentrations in Greyhounds compared to non‐Greyhounds . Greyhound plasma, therefore, may not yield high potency CRYO.…”