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2-17-10try2.mp3

NEJM today has a paper on a strategy to use smaller platelet transfusions and lower transfusion thresholds.

The audio podcast discusses what platelets do in the circulation, some of the issues surrounding platelet transfusions, and some of the implications of the current NEJM paper. http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/362/7/600

I wasn't aware of the tendency of blood banks to prefer plasma from male donors over plasma derived from female donors. We use a product in the hospital called "FFP," which stands for fresh frozen plasma, which is a bit of a cognitive dissonance, I suppose.

Researchers in Denver report that blood transfusions at least in mice make cancer spread faster. The spin here is a little more interesting than usual: the sponsoring entity isn't trying to sell expensive Procrit shots but instead is trying to convince us that artificial blood is better. Artificial blood is a concept that refuses to die if only because blood transfusion has a few drawbacks. The idea is most appealing to the military since right now soldiers cannot get transfusions in the field--they must be transported to central medical units with a blood bank.

The journal Science has a tantalizing article in which platelets destroyed the malaria parasite inside red cells. The malaria parasite causes so many problems because it relies on the human blood stream during its life cycle. The mosquito takes a drink on this infected blood flies away from the infected host and finds a new victim to bite transmitting the parasite to the new person in the process. 1) I can't believe nobody's done this study before this point. It's so obvious! There are millions of potential subjects out there.

The substitute PolyHeme moves closer to approval with news that FDA intends to complete a priority review of the drug by April 30 2009: http://www.pipelinereview.com/content/view/24400/111/ The problem is that the Phase III clinical trial showcasing this drug didn't show much of a benefit. The idea is to stock it in ambulances to be administered to gunshot victims or car accident patients to reduce the amount of blood transfusions needed in the hospital. Pretty good idea on paper but didn't seem to affect much of anything in the field.

Blood transfusion is the method of moving blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another. A transfusion is the inoculation of a blood product by way of a needle inserted into a patient’s vein.

New study: Transfusions increase clot risk in cancer patients