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BACKGROUND There are limited standards guiding the selection and processing of blood components specific for neonatal and pediatric transfusions. Therefore, blood banks (BBs) and transfusion services must create their own policies and procedures. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Pediatric Transfusion Medicine Subsection Committee developed a 74-question survey to capture neonatal and pediatric BB practices in the United States. RESULTS Thirty-five centers completed the survey: a response rate 15.8%. Responses indicated that most carry a mixed inventory of red blood cells (RBCs); 94.2% allow more than one type of RBC product for small-volume (SV) and large-volume (LV) transfusions to neonatal and pediatric patients. Many had storage age thresholds for RBCs transfused to neonates (SV = 60%, LV = 67.7%) but not older pediatric patients. The use of Group O for nonurgent RBC transfusion in neonates was common (74.2%). Responses related to special processing of RBCs and platelets indicated that 100% RBC and platelets are leukocyte-reduced (LR) for neonates and 97% for non-neonates. Irradiation of RBCs and platelets was commonly performed for neonatal transfusion (88.6%). Providing cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegative products, volume reduction, and washing were variable. All centers transfused single-donor apheresis platelets; 20% allowed pathogen reduction (PR). The majority of centers have strategies limiting the amount of incompatible plasma transfused; however, few titrate ABO isoagglutinins in plasma-containing products (20% for platelets and 9.1% for plasma). CONCLUSIONS Variability exists in BB practice for neonatal and pediatric transfusion. Future studies are needed to understand and define best BB practices in these patient populations.

Absolute immature platelet counts (A-IPC) aid in diagnosis and treatment follow-up in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A-IPC was used to follow a patient on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy treated with a prolonged therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) regimen for relapsing TTP. On admission, the platelet (PLT) count was 95 × 109/L declining to 14 × 109/L in 5 days. Daily TPE was initiated for suspected TTP, and MMF was discontinued. A-IPC and PLT count were 1 × 109/L and 14 × 109/L, respectively, prior to first TPE. A-IPC improved to 3.2 × 109/L with 1 TPE, and on day 5, A-IPC and PLT count were 7.5 × 109/L and 218 × 109/L, respectively. On day 6, A-IPC and PLT count decreased to 4.8 × 109/L and 132 × 109/L further worsening to 0.4 × 109/L and 13 × 109/L, respectively. ADAMTS13 activity remained

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) demands rapid initiation of therapeutic plasma exchange to avoid severe complications associated with it. ADAMTS13 activity10% defines TTP, however, this is a send-out test at most institutions. We have previously reported our experience looking at absolute immature platelet counts (A-IPC) in TTP patients. Thus, we compared A-IPC on admission to the PLASMIC score to predict ADAMTS13 deficiency.Of seventy-two patients identified, 52 met inclusion criteria. All patients were suspected of new-onset TTP and had A-IPC on admission. Of these patients, 25/52 were later shown to have ADAMTS1310%, defined as TTP group, and 27/52 had ADAMTS1310% and are henceforth classified as non-TTP.Patients with TTP were found to have A-IPC below reference range (1.5 × 10A-IPC below reference range and A-IPC fold-increases were only observed in TTP patients. There was strong association between A-IPC and ADAMTS13 deficiency and A-IPC predicted patients with ADAMTS13 deficiency. Future larger studies are needed to determine ways to apply findings in suspected TTP patients.

Alloantibody formation at less than 4 months of age is rare. Most antibodies identified in these patients are maternally derived. Anti-PP1Pk was detected in an 11-week-old infant that was not maternally derived. A multidisciplinary team approach led to appropriate testing, diagnosis, and transfusion management in this critically ill infant.

OBJECTIVEPatients undergoing open cranial vault remodeling for craniosynostosis frequently experience substantial blood loss requiring blood transfusion. Multiple reports in the literature have evaluated the impact of individual blood conservation techniques on blood transfusion rates during craniosynostosis surgery. The authors engaged a multidisciplinary team and assessed the impact of input from multiple stakeholders on the evolution of a comprehensive quality improvement protocol aimed at reducing or eliminating blood transfusion in patients undergoing open surgery for craniosynostosis.METHODSOver a 4-year period from 2012 to 2016, 39 nonsyndromic patients were operated on by a single craniofacial plastic surgeon. Initially, no clear blood conservation protocol existed, and specific interventions were individually driven. In 2014, a new pediatric neurosurgeon joined the craniofacial team, and additional stakeholders in anesthesiology, transfusion medicine, critical care, and hematology were brought together to evaluate opportunities for developing a comprehensive blood conservation protocol. The initial version of the protocol involved the standardized administration of intraoperative aminocaproic acid (ACA) and the use of a cell saver. In the second version of the protocol, the team implemented the preoperative use of erythropoietin (EPO). In addition, intraoperative and postoperative resuscitation and transfusion guidelines were more clearly defined. The primary outcomes of estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusion rate, and intraoperative transfusion volume were analyzed. The secondary impact of multidisciplinary stakeholder input was inferred by trends in the data obtained with the implementation of the partial and full protocols.RESULTSImplementing the full quality improvement protocol resulted in a 66% transfusion-free rate at the time of discharge compared to 0% without any conservation protocol and 27% with the intermediate protocol. The administration of EPO significantly increased starting hemoglobin/hematocrit (11.1 g/dl/31.8% to 14.7 g/dl/45.6%, p < 0.05). The group of patients receiving ACA had lower intraoperative EBL than those not receiving ACA, and trends in the final-protocol cohort, which had received both preoperative EPO and intraoperative ACA, demonstrated decreasing transfusion volumes, though the decrease did not reach statistical significance.CONCLUSIONSPatients undergoing open calvarial vault remodeling procedures benefit from the input of a multidisciplinary stakeholder group in blood conservation protocols. Further research into comprehensive protocols for blood conservation may benefit from input from the full surgical team (plastic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology) as well as additional pediatric subspecialty stakeholders including transfusion medicine, critical care, and hematology.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have indicated the usefulness of absolute immature platelet counts (A-IPCs) in the management and diagnostic algorithm of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Specifically a threefold increase in A-IPC from baseline may be diagnostic of TTP. Here, A-IPC was used to understand a coexisting immune dysregulation complicating TTP treatment. CASE REPORT A 17-year-old previously healthy female was admitted with altered mental status, petechiae, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and schistocytes on peripheral smear. Daily therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and corticosteroids were started for suspected TTP supported by ADAMTS13 activity of less than 5%, inhibitor more than 8, and more than threefold A-IPC increase from baseline post-TPE initiation. Despite daily TPE, the patient had significant and unexpected decreases in platelet (PLT) counts and A-IPCs during her hospital course. After each PLT count decline, response to TPE and immunosuppression led to increasingly prolonged count recovery with subsequent episodes. Decreases in both PLTs and A-IPCs indicated that both mature and immature PLTs were being cleared from circulation. Recovery occurred once A-IPC dynamics indicated restored negative feedback in relation to PLT count. CONCLUSION Serial monitoring of A-IPC dynamics was indicative of coexisting processes in the setting of ADAMTS13 deficiency. Uncoupling of the expected A-IPC and PLT count seen in TTP suggested the presence of such an immune process in addition to TTP with high ADAMTS13 inhibitor. Monitoring of A-IPC is a clinically valuable, rapid, and noninvasive thrombopoietic measurement when TTP is suspected.

BACKGROUND The Spectra Optia is a newer apheresis system developed based on the COBE Spectra platform. COBE Spectra requires more manual control, while Spectra Optia offers greater automation. The purpose of this study was to compare the two systems during hematopoietic progenitor stem cell (HPSC) collections. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective review of 41 collections performed in 26 subjects at a tertiary medical center between June 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013, was conducted, 11 with the Spectra Optia and 30 with the COBE Spectra. Six patients underwent two consecutive daily collections, first on the Spectra Optia followed by the COBE Spectra. RESULTS Procedure run time with the Spectra Optia was considerably longer than with the COBE Spectra (283 ± 11 min vs. 217 ± 2 min, respectively; p

Neonatal and pediatric transfusion practice is complex and differs from that in adults. From birth to adolescence there are many changes in physiology, the immune system, blood volume, and hematologic parameters that affect transfusion. Risks associated with transfusion are also of great importance given the long life expectancy of these patients (Hillyer et al., 2009). 1 There is a call for clinical trials and evidence-based guidelines pertaining to the clinical practice of transfusing these patients (Strauss, 2009; Nickel and Josephson, 2015). 2 ; 3 This chapter is intended to provide an overview of clinically relevant transfusion medicine concepts that affect these distinct patient populations. The chapter is divided into two sections: transfusion of patients younger than 4 months and transfusion of pediatric patients older than 4 months through childhood and adolescence.

ADAMTS13 activity measurement is used in the diagnostic algorithm of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), but results may not be available before initiation of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). The immature platelet fraction (%-IPF) and the calculated absolute immature platelet count (A-IPC) represent a test of real-time thrombopoiesis, and can be performed in most laboratories using automated analyzers. Here we report on using A-IPC kinetics to exclude idiopathic TTP in a patient with severe hypertension, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure, which was confirmed by a normal ADAMTS13. The complete resolution of thrombocytopenia occurred once blood pressure was controlled favoring a diagnosis of hypertension-induced thrombotic microangiopathy.

Alloantibody formation at less than 4 months of age is rare. Most antibodies identified in these patients are maternally derived. Anti-PP1P

The Spectra Optia is a newer apheresis system developed based on the COBE Spectra platform. COBE Spectra requires more manual control, while Spectra Optia offers greater automation. The purpose of this study was to compare the two systems during hematopoietic progenitor stem cell (HPSC) collections.A retrospective review of 41 collections performed in 26 subjects at a tertiary medical center between June 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013, was conducted, 11 with the Spectra Optia and 30 with the COBE Spectra. Six patients underwent two consecutive daily collections, first on the Spectra Optia followed by the COBE Spectra.Procedure run time with the Spectra Optia was considerably longer than with the COBE Spectra (283 ± 11 min vs. 217 ± 2 min, respectively; p 0.01). Mean CD34+ cell yields with the Spectra Optia were comparable with those of the COBE Spectra. Products collected with the Spectra Optia had less red blood cell contamination. However, platelet (PLT) attrition was greater with the Spectra Optia. Similar results were obtained in patients who were collected on consecutive days in both systems.Collections with the Spectra Optia take longer and lead to greater PLT losses during HPSC collections.

Summary The initial description of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in an animal model was published almost 100 years ago. Since that time, this treatment has been applied to a wide variety of diseases but limited research has been published examining the mechanisms of action of TPE. The therapeutic effects of TPE could include the removal of pathological substances from the blood, such as monoclonal paraproteins and autoantibodies, as well as the replacement of deficient plasma components when plasma is used as a replacement fluid. Beyond these potential mechanisms, other possible mechanisms include possible alterations in lymphocyte proliferation and function that could sensitize these cells to immunosuppressant and chemotherapeutic agents and alterations in the immune system including changes in B and T cell numbers and activation, increased T suppressor function, and alteration in T-helper cell type 1/2 (Th1/Th2) ratio. Much remains unknown about the mechanisms of action of TPE, indicating a need for basic research into this therapy.

Patient: 50-year-old male. Chief Complaint: Persistent left knee swelling and pain. History of Present Illness: The patient presented with left knee hemarthrosis and increasing pain of 4 months duration secondary to minor trauma. He received 2 cryoprecipitate infusions with moderate improvement in pain and swelling. He was seen by an orthopedist, and arthroscopy was recommended due to diffuse hemosiderin deposition from prior hemarthroses. Worsening pain led to the patient’s presentation in the emergency department. Past Medical History: The patient was diagnosed with hemophilia A at 18 months of age secondary to a prolonged bleeding time. He has had recurrent spontaneous and trauma-induced hemarthroses in both the ankles and knees, episodes of gastrointestinal and soft tissue bleeding, and bleeding with dental procedures. His bleeding episodes were treated with cryoprecipitate infusions, except for a 2-year period during which he received Factor VIII concentrate. Family History: Unremarkable for bleeding disorders, including a fraternal twin. Physical Examination: Swollen left knee, warm but not erythematous. Limited range of motion at the knee. Principal Laboratory Findings: (Table 1) 1. What are this patient’s most significant clinical and laboratory findings? 2. What is this patient’s most likely diagnosis? 3. Why was he misdiagnosed as having …