Jacob Rosenblit’s research while affiliated with Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein and other places

Blood transfusion had two major periods: one empiric to 1900, and another scientific from 1900 on. In 1879, in Brazil, a report discussed if the best transfusion would be between animals and men or between human beings. The pioneers of hemotherapy were surgeons of Rio de Janeiro. Around 1920, there were the first very simple but organized services. During the 40´s, we highlight Rio de Janeiro´s Blood Transfusion Service (Seviço de Transfusão de Sangue - STS), that held both assistencial and scientific activities. At the end of that decade, there was the 1st Sao Paulo Hemotherapy Congress (1 Congresso Paulista de Hemoterapia), that provided the basis to the Brazilian Hematology and Hemotherapy Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Hematologia e Hemoterapia), in 1950. In 1965, thanks to Brazilian Health Ministry, the National Hemotherapy Commission was created, thus establishing rules to protect blood donors and patients. Then, we get to 1979 with a desorganized and uneven quality system. During the 80´s with the establishment of a National Blood Policy, the altruistic donation Program and the 1980 Brazilian Contitution, Hemotherapy could reach another level. Then we get to AIDS era and we head to new concepts and care. Furthermore, there were new concepts of clinical hemotherapy, economic factors, biotecnology, cell therapy, new equipment, computers, quality systems and the increasing study of state-of-the-art scientific areas.

Context: The hemoglobin (Hb) level is the most-used parameter for screening blood donors for the presence of anemia, one of the most-used methods for measuring Hb levels is based on photometric detection of cyanmetahemoglobin, as an alternative to this technology, HemoCue has developed a photometric method based on the determination of azide metahemoglobin. Objective: To evaluate the performance of three methods for hemoglobin (Hb) determination in a blood bank setting. Design: Prospective study utilizing blood samples to compare methods for Hb determination. Setting: Hemotherapy Service of the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, a private institution in the tertiary health care system. Sample: Serial blood samples were collected from 259 individuals during the period from March to June 1996. Main measurements: Test performances and their comparisons were assessed by the analysis of coefficients of variation (CV), linear regression and mean differences. Results: The CV for the three methods were: Coulter 0.68%, Cobas 0.82% and HemoCue 0.69%. There was no difference between the mean Hb determination for the three methods (p>0.05). The Coulter and Cobas methods showed the best agreement and the HemoCue method gave a lower Hb determination when compared to both the Coulter and Cobas methods. However, pairs of methods involving the HemoCue seem to have narrower limits of agreement (+/- 0.78 and +/- 1.02) than the Coulter and Cobas combination (+/- 1.13). Conclusion: The three methods provide good agreement for hemoglobin determination.

Classical serological screening assays for Chagas' disease are time consuming and subjective. The objective of the present work is to evaluate the enzyme immuno-assay (ELISA) methodology and to propose an algorithm for blood banks to be applied to Chagas' disease. Seven thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine blood donor samples were screened by both reverse passive hemagglutination (RPHA) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Samples reactive on RPHA and/or IFA were submitted to supplementary RPHA, IFA and complement fixation (CFA) tests. This strategy allowed us to create a panel of 60 samples to evaluate the ELISA methodology from 3 different manufacturers. The sensitivity of the screening by IFA and the 3 different ELISA's was 100%. The specificity was better on ELISA methodology. For Chagas disease, ELISA seems to be the best test for blood donor screening, because it showed high sensitivity and specificity, it is not subjective and can be automated. Therefore, it was possible to propose an algorithm to screen samples and confirm donor results at the blood bank.