Cord blood red cell concentrates for preterm neonate transfusion: Insights from the multicenter BORN trial.

BACKGROUND: The BORN trial suggested that using cord blood-red blood cells (CB-RBCs) to transfuse severely preterm neonates significantly improves clinical outcomes compared to standard adult donor RBCs (A-RBC). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The study illustrates CB-RBC concentrate production and inventory management across nine CB banks participating in the BORN trial. Quality requirements were those established by the European regulation for leukocyte-depleted RBC concentrates in additive solution. The compliance rate among centers was reported. RESULTS: and end-storage hemolysis below 0.8% in more than 90% of cases. CB-RBC availability was significantly limited by the time required for bacterial testing results and the need for γ-irradiation. DISCUSSION: These data suggest that the standardized CB-RBC production is reproducible. Moreover, extending CB-RBC storage to 21 days could maximize the inventory utility.