Does transfusion of stored red blood cells induce coagulation in recipients?

Overview

Topic status: In progress

Overview

Whole blood donations are separated into several blood components such as red blood cells (RBC), platelets and plasma. This meets the need of different clinical blood transfusion requirements. Transfusion of RBCs is often used in trauma or other medical conditions to restore the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. RBCs are stored routinely for up to 42 days, and the storage age of transfused RBCs can often relate to poor patient outcomes. These poor outcomes may be associated with an increased procoagulant state in the transfused patient.This project will investigate RBCs that have been stored for either 0 or 42 days and will utilise several protocols to test the activation of blood coagulation at crucial steps of the blood coagulation cascade. The activation of blood coagulation will be analysed both in the RBCs and in models where the RBCs are mixed with a model recipient (i.e. normal pooled plasma and/or recipient blood).

Hypothesis

Increased storage time of red blood cells increases procoagulant potential when transfused into the recipient.

The project aims are as follows:

  1. to examine the RBCs stored at 0 and 42 days in general clinical coagulation assays (activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time)
  2. to examine if the intrinsic or extrinsic pathways of coagulation are induced to examine if RBCs stored at 0 and 42 days modulate anticoagulant ability (protein C activity, protein S activity and antithrombin activity)
  3. to examine if the RBCs stored at 0 and 42 days modulate activity of coagulation factors VIIa, IXa and tissue factor.

Research activities

The research activities undertaken include:

  • familiarising with blood banking protocols
  • hfandling of clinical samples
  • experience with blood coagulation assays utilising both blood clotting and chromogenic assays
  • experience with ELISA assays
  • design, techniques, analysis and reporting of experimental protocols.

Expected outcomes

It is expected that this preliminary analysis of the RBCs will provide insight into the increased coagulation potential when transfused into a modelled recipient. We also expect the induction of procoagulant parameters when the RBCs are stored for a greater length of time.

Duration of project

The planned duration of the project is 6 - 8 weeks commencing December 2011 or January 2012. Duration and timing of vocation can be flexible.

NB: You should be available for at least 2 days the first 2 weeks of December to learn how to use the blood coagulometer which measures time of blood clotting – located at IHBI.

Study level
Vacation research experience scholarship
Supervisors
QUT External Mr John-Paul Tung; Prof Robert Flower
Organisational unit

Science and Engineering Faculty

Research area

Medical Sciences

Contact

External supervisors

Mr John-Paul Tung, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove 3838 9146, jtung@redcrossblood.org.au Prof Robert Flower, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove 3838 9020, rflower@arcbs.redcross.org.au

Please contact a supervisor for enquiries.