Incidence of transfusion reactions and retention of procoagulant and anticoagulant factor activities in equine plasma.

The research article examines the retention of clotting factor activity in equine, or horse, frozen plasma and the incidence of transfusion reactions. The study found that clotting factors and certain proteins remained largely preserved, with only a few showing significant reductions. However, there was a 10% incidence of reactions to the frozen plasma transfusion amongst hospitalized horses.

Study Design and Methods

• The study involved ten plasma donor horses and fifty clinically ill hospitalized horses receiving plasma.
• The researchers performed an in vitro study and a retrospective case review.
• Plasma was prepared by gravity sedimentation from whole blood refrigerated for 48 hours. This plasma was then considered for testing and measurement.
• The study specifically evaluated the activities of factors VII through XII, antithrombin (AT), and Protein C. These are all elements involved in the coagulation process.
• Factor activities were measured at three key time points: before blood collection (S0), after plasma separation following 48 hours of gravity sedimentation (S1), and after 90 days of storage at -20 degrees Celsius (S90).
• The researchers also looked into medical records of the fifty ill horses receiving frozen plasma to assess the incidence of transfusion reactions.

Results of the study

• The process of harvesting plasma, gravity sedimentation, decantation, and freezing resulted in significant reductions in the activity of some factors. These included IX, X, XI, antithrombin (AT), and Protein C.
• Despite the reductions, activities for almost all factors, with the exception of factor X, remained within the reference ranges. This indicates that most of the clotting factors were well-preserved in the plasma.
• There were recorded transfusion reactions in 5 out of the 50 horses that received the frozen plasma transfusion. This translates to a 10% incidence of reactions.

Conclusion

• The research concluded that the clotting factors, AT, and Protein C in equine frozen plasma were generally well preserved, despite the significant reductions in some factors due to the plasma preparation and storage processes.
• However, though largely safe, the frozen plasma showed a 10% incidence of transfusion reactions in the case review of clinically ill horses. This emphasizes the importance of monitoring and managing such reactions when using frozen plasma transfusions in horses.