Fibrinogen recovery in cryoprecipitate prepared from thawed plasma stored for 5 days post-thaw.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Thawed plasma (TP) can be stored for several days to facilitate rapid emergency transfusion. However, in Japan, the 24-h post-thaw shelf life limit raises concerns about plasma wastage. We evaluated fibrinogen recovery in cryoprecipitate prepared from TP that was stored for 5 days after thawing.

Materials and methods: Cryoprecipitate was prepared using the one-step method (OSM, n = 12), two-step method (TSM, n = 15) and the TP stored for 5 days post-thaw (n = 15). Cryoprecipitate was prepared using three protocols: OSM, in which fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was thawed once at 2-6°C for 24-30 h; TSM, in which FFP was thawed at 2-6°C, refrozen at -30°C and then thawed again at 2-6°C for 24-30 h; and TP, in which FFP was stored at 2-6°C for 5 days after initial thawing, then refrozen and thawed as in the TSM. All samples were centrifuged after the final thawing to collect the cryoprecipitate. Fibrinogen recovery was calculated from fibrinogen concentrations, and bacteriological testing was performed on the cryoprecipitate prepared from TP.

Results: Fibrinogen recovery differed significantly among the groups (p < 0.001), with the highest recovery in the TSM group, followed by the TP and OSM groups. Recovery in the TP group was significantly higher than that in the OSM group. No bacterial growth was detected in any of the samples.

Conclusion: Using stored TP to prepare cryoprecipitate could offer a more efficient way to manage resources while supporting emergency transfusion readiness.