PLASMA CRYOPRECIPITATION STUDIES - MAJOR INCREASE IN FIBRINOGEN YIELD BY ALBUMIN ENRICHMENT OF PLASMA

The present studies compared fibrinogen yields of cryoprecipitate (Cr) obtained under differing conditions, and focused on yields from albumin enriched plasma. Addition of human albumin to fresh plasma collected into CPDA-1, citrate,or heparin (4 U/ml) resulted in an average of 2.8 fold (+/- 0.34 SD, n=17) increase in yields of Cr fibrinogen. This albumin effect was shown with undefatted and defatted albumin, fibrinogen yields increasing in the range of 2-6 g of albumin added/dl of plasma and plateauing thereafter. Similarly increased were yields of fibronectin, plasminogen and factor XIII, but not of factor VIII or of von Willebrand factor. By electrophoretic analyses, Cr fibrinogen from albumin enriched and that from untreated plasma did not differ. Fibrin related measurements disclosed that the albumin enhancement of fibrinogen yield did not result from increased fibrin formation in Cr. This enhancement was shown in plasma that had been enriched with soluble fibrin to increase its yield and in that which had been subjected to hirudin, to high ionic strength, or to dilution to decrease its Cr fibrinogen yield. The results suggest a water exclusion effect, inducing cryoprecipitation of otherwise soluble fibrin/fibrinogen complexes.