ON THE COVER:
Platelets for transfusion are stored at room temperature (20° to 24°C), posing risk of bacterial growth and limiting shelf life. In this issue of Anesthesiology, Strandenes et al. present the results of a pilot trial aimed to provide preliminary data evaluating the hemostatic potential of cold-stored platelets (2° to 6°C) compared to standard room temperature–stored in adult patients undergoing complex cardiothoracic surgery. In an accompanying Editorial, Cohn and Shaz discuss the studies that led to the current practice of storing platelets for transfusion at room temperature and previous studies of cold-stored platelets to put the new study in persective. Cover Illustration: A. Johnson, Vivo Visuals.
Strandenes et al.: A Pilot Trial of Platelets Stored Cold versus at Room Temperature for Complex Cardiothoracic Surgery, p. 1173
Cohn and Shaz: Warming Up to Cold-stored Platelets, p. 1161
