Evaluation of Single-use Blood Donor Arm Antiseptic Kits / 대한수혈학회지

BACKGROUND: Transfusion-associated bacterial contamination (TABC) have become one of the major hazards of transfusion and the donors' normal skin flora is considered to be the most important source of contamination. We therefore evaluated the effectiveness of single-use blood donor arm antiseptic kits available on the Korean market. METHODS: Forty-eight antiseptic kits of two manufacturers consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol swab stick and 10% povidone iodine swab stick were evaluated for their performance in reducing the bacterial load of the skin before and after disinfection. Staff response about ease of use was also evaluated. RESULTS: Whereas before disinfection the mean bacterial count was 5 CFU/plate or less, after disinfection bacterial growth was hardly observed. Overall both antiseptic kits showed a percent reduction of more than 98% compared to predisinfection. The amount of antiseptic solution of one manufacturers' kit was excessive and leakage of the antiseptic solution was also observed. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of both antiseptic kits evaluated in this study was satisfactory to be used for blood donors, but an improvement to the packaging of one manufacturers' kit is required before it can be used in the field.

Evaluation of the Double Plateletpheresis Using Cell Separators for Korean Blood Donors / 대한수혈학회지

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety of double plateletpheresis which has already become established among developed countries and to set the guidelines for the donor selection and the deferral period between blood donations for Korean blood donors METHODS: From October to November, 2003, double plateletphereses were done in 28 voluntary donors whose platelet counts were more than 200,000/microliter at the KRC Cenral, Nambu, and Dongbu blood centers. During the collection the citrate reaction and the collection time were recorded and regular cell counts were done after the collection to assess the recovery. The platelet count, pH test, and blood culture were done in all the collected platelets. RESULTS: The mean total processing volume was 4,312mL and the mean volume of the anticoagulant infused to donor was 373 mL. The average collection time was 97 minutes. Most donors complained 'slight' citrate reaction during procedures and felt the procedures 'a little boring' because of the long collection time. The platelet count counted immediately after procedures was decreased by 35.9% on the average and it took 14 days for 95% of donors to recover the 95% level of the original platelet count. The mean product volume was 501 mL and the mean platelet yield of products was 6.4 x 10 11 platelets. The pH measured at fifth day after collection was 7.3 and no aerobic bacteria was found in the culture. CONCLUSION: No significant adverse reaction was found in double plateletpheresis for Korean blood donors as compared with the existing one dose plateletpheresis. The guidelines for donor selection should include the minimum platelet count requirement with more than 200,000/microliter and the deferral period between donations should be or more 14 days.

The Genotyping of the Secretory Gene (Sec2) in the Korean Population / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: The expression and secretion of ABH antigens in epithelial cells of glands are controlled by secretor type alpha (1,2)fucosyltrasnferase activity and the human secretor alpha (1,2)fucosyltransferase gene (Sec2) determines the ABH secretor status and influences the Lewis phenotype of an individual. Homozygosity of the mutation for this allele is responsible for the nonsecretor phenotype in nonsecretor individual. The aim of this study was to investigate the status and the distribution of the Sec2 genotype in the Korean population. METHODS: In order to explore the secretory genotypes of the Korean population, the 158 specimens were analyzed by the PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) method designed for the detection of the A385T, the C357T and the G428A mutations of Se alleles. RESULTS: The frequencies of Se1, Se2 and sej among 316 alleles examined in a random sample of 158 Korean individuals were 11.1%, 40.5% and 48.4%. The frequencies of Se1/Se1, Se1/Se2, Se2/Se2, Se1/sej, Se2/sej and sej/sej among 158 genotypes were 3.2%, 3.2%, 20.3%, 12.7%, 37.3% and 23.4%. The G428A nonsense mutation discovered in the Sec2 gene of nonsecretors in Caucasian was not found in any of 158 Korean population. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of the genotypes of the Sec2 gene in the Korean population showed a rather wide distribution of the sej allele than the Caucasian population and was similar to the Japanese population. PCR-RFLP method can be effectively used for the genotyping of the Sec2 gene.

Chemical Modification of RBC Surface Antigen with Methoxy Polyethylene Glycol / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: Today, blood group antigens are a strong barrier of safe transfusion. We evaluated the change of agglutinability of antibody to RBC surface antigen before and after activated methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) modification. METHODS: We collected blood from healthy volunteers and the blood were treated by activated mPEG (MW 5,000, Sigma, USA). Agglutinability of RBC was measured using anti-sera (Green Cross, Korea) in ABO and Rh(D) groups, and compared the agglutinability changes before and after mPEG treatment. RESULTS: The agglutinability of Rh(D) surface antigen (n=20) was disappeared after mPEG treatment. However, ABO antigens showed variable agglutinability against antisera, some of which showed no change at all. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of Rh(D) antigen, it would be useful to apply mPEG treated RBCs for clinical use, if the safety problem were solved. But in the case of ABO antigen, the more evaluation of the condition of reaction and the concentration of mPEG should be needed.

A Case Report of Mantle Cell Lymphoma in Leukemic Phase / 대한임상병리학회지

Recently, we experienced a patient with a B cell leukemia which could not be classified as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), prolymphocytic leukemia (PL) or follicular lymphoma in leukemic phase. He is a 58-year-old male and suffered from progressive lymphadenopathy at both inguinal and cervical areas. His blood film showed lymphocytosis (79%), and the cells were heterogeneous in size and shape. Twenty-five percent of the lymphocytes had nuclear irregularities or cleavages unlike the lymphocytes of CLL In which the cells often shows monomorphic features, small size with scanty cytoplasm and round nucleus. The bone marrow trephine biopsy specimen showed a diffuse pattern of infiltration of atypical Iymphoid cells. The lymph node histology showed atypical lymphoid colls proliferated as wide mantles around non-neoplastic appearing germinal centers. The immunophenotype of circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood showed strong reactivity with CD5, CDl9 and CD20 without expression of CD2, CD3, CD7, CD10, CD22 and CD23. Although this case resembled CLL, the laboratory features showed major differences, notably in the Peripheral blood morphology, histology Patterns and the membrane Phenotype. By combining these data, we diagnosed this case as a leukemic phase of mantle cell lymphoma.