In vitro Stability of Heat Shock Protein 27 in Serum and Plasma Under Different Pre-analytical Conditions: Implications for Large-Scale Clinical Studies

The effects of storage temperatures, repeated freeze-thaw cycles, or delays in separating plasma or serum from blood samples are largely unknown for heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). We evaluated (1) the imprecision of the HSP27 assay used in this study; (2) the in vitro stability of HSP27 in blood samples stored at 4℃ for up to 6 hr with immediate and delayed serum/plasma separation from cells; and (3) the in vitro stability of HSP27 in blood samples stored at -80℃ after repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The ELISA to detect HSP27 in this study showed a within-run CV of <9% and a total CV of <15%. After 4-6 hr of storage at 4℃, HSP27 concentrations remained stable when using serum tubes irrespective of sample handling, but HSP27 concentrations decreased by 25-45% when using EDTA plasma tubes. Compared with baseline HSP27, one freeze-thaw cycle had no effect on serum concentrations. However, plasma concentrations increased by 3.1-fold after one freeze-thaw cycle and by 7.3-fold after five freeze-thaw cycles. In conclusion, serum is an appropriate biological sample type for use in epidemiological and large-scale clinical studies.

Extracorporeal circulatory systems in the interhospital transfer of critically ill patients: experience of a single institution

Critically ill patients with acute circulatory failure cannot be moved to other institutions unless stabilized by mechanical support systems. Extracorporeal heart and lung assist systems are increasingly used as a bridge to end-organ recovery or transplantation, and as an ultimate rescue tool in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. From July 2001 to April 2008, we had 38 requests for extracorporeal support for interhospital transfer carried out by the air medical service. Respiratory failure was present in 29 patients, who were provided with pumpless extracorporeal lung assist [PECLA] or veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO]. Cardiac failure dominated in 9 patients, who underwent implantation of extracorporeal life support [ECLS]. Underlying diseases were acute respiratory distress syndrome in 15 patients, pneumonia in 7, prior lung transplant status in 4, cardiogenic shock in 7, and septic shock in 4. All assist systems were connected via peripheral vessels by the Seldinger technique. Transport was uneventful in all cases with no technical failures. On arrival at the specialized care hospital, two patients had leg ischemia and underwent relocation of the arterial cannula. After a mean [SD] support of 5.1 [3.0] days for PECLA, 3.5 [2.9] days for ECLS, and 7.3 [5.8] days for ECMO, 60%, 66%, and 66% of patients, respectively,could be successfully weaned from the systems. Discharge rates were 45% for PECLA, 44% for ECLS, and 56% for ECMO. Our experience proves that minimized extracorporeal assist devices allow safe assistance of patients with isolated or combined heart and lung failure in need of interhospital transfer. Critically ill patients get a chance to reach a center of maximum medical care