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Design and establishment of a biobank in a multicenter prospective cohort study of elderly patients with venous thromboembolism (SWITCO65+)

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Abstract

In the field of thrombosis and haemostasis, many preanalytical variables influence the results of coagulation assays and measures to limit potential results variations should be taken. To our knowledge, no paper describing the development and maintenance of a haemostasis biobank has been previously published. Our description of the biobank of the Swiss cohort of elderly patients with venous thromboembolism (SWITCO65+) is intended to facilitate the set-up of other biobanks in the field of thrombosis and haemostasis. SWITCO65+ is a multicentre cohort that prospectively enrolled consecutive patients aged ≥65 years with venous thromboembolism at nine Swiss hospitals from 09/2009 to 03/2012. Patients will be followed up until December 2013. The cohort includes a biobank with biological material from each participant taken at baseline and after 12 months of follow-up. Whole blood from all participants is assayed with a standard haematology panel, for which fresh samples are required. Two buffy coat vials, one PAXgene Blood RNA System tube and one EDTA-whole blood sample are also collected at baseline for RNA/DNA extraction. Blood samples are processed and vialed within 1 h of collection and transported in batches to a central laboratory where they are stored in ultra-low temperature archives. All analyses of the same type are performed in the same laboratory in batches. Using multiple core laboratories increased the speed of sample analyses and reduced storage time. After recruiting, processing and analyzing the blood of more than 1,000 patients, we determined that the adopted methods and technologies were fit-for-purpose and robust.

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Acknowledgments

This cohort study is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant no. 33CSO-122659/139470). We thank Kali Tal, Ph.D. for her editorial work.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Internal Medicine, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland

    Marie Méan & Drahomir Aujesky

  2. Division of Hematology and Central Hematology Laboratory, Bern University Hospital, 3010, Bern, Switzerland

    Bernhard Lämmle

  3. Service and Central Laboratory of Hematology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Christiane Gerschheimer & Anne Angelillo-Scherrer

  4. CTU Bern, Department of Clinical Research, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland

    Sven Trelle

Authors
  1. Marie Méan
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  2. Drahomir Aujesky
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  4. Christiane Gerschheimer
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  6. Anne Angelillo-Scherrer
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Correspondence to Marie Méan.

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Méan, M., Aujesky, D., Lämmle, B. et al. Design and establishment of a biobank in a multicenter prospective cohort study of elderly patients with venous thromboembolism (SWITCO65+) . J Thromb Thrombolysis 36, 484–491 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-013-0922-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-013-0922-z

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