5‐Day Storage of Human Platelet Concentrates in 30 ml of Plasma or Artificial Medium¹

Abstract

Optimal conditions for the storage of platelet concentrates were studied by changing 5 environmental parameters: bag composition (PL146 vs. PL732), volume of plasma (60 vs. 30 ml), anticoagulant (CPDA-1 vs. heparin), nutrient (glucose vs. fructose) and medium (plasma vs. artificial medium). A full bilevel factorial study was conducted to evaluate each variable alone and in combination with the other variables for their effects on platelet aggregation and release in response to single and pairs of stimuli. Serotonin uptake, pCO2, platelet count, lactate, glucose, pO2, pH and white blood cell concentration were also measured after 3 and 5 days of storage. Platelets that were stored in PL146 bags had reduced responses to stimulation by 3 days and markedly impaired responses after 5 days relative to platelets that were stored in PL732 bags. There was a large drop in pH and platelet responsiveness when platelets were stored in a volume of 30 ml in PL146 bags; these were not found when platelets were stored in 30 ml in PL732 bags. Replacing plasma with an artificial medium or adding fructose or heparin and calcium to plasma yielded platelets that were equally functional as routine controls in CPD-A1 plasma. It was concluded that replacement of plasma with 60 ml of artificial medium or a reduction of plasma volume with storage in PL732 bags are two possible mechanisms of obtaining more plasma from blood donations without compromising maximum platelet storage life.

Quality assessment of platelet concentrates prepared by platelet rich plasma-platelet concentrate, buffy coat poor-platelet concentrate (BC-PC) and apheresis-PC methods

“…Adams et al . [15] have suggested the PCs may be stored for 5 days with a volume as low as 30 ml without significant changes in vitro platelet characteristics that are believed to reflect platelet viability and hemostatic function.…”

“…[3] Four point six percent (3/64) of PRP-PC units and 51.6% (32/62) of BC-PC units had volume less than recommended in quality control parameters. Though 51.6% (32/62) of BC-PC units had volume less than 70 ml, but certainly higher than 40 ml, and various studies[1516] have shown that a volume >40 ml maintained the pH >6.2. Each platelet function and viability was preserved after 5 days of storage at room temperature with continuous agitation.…”

Platelets Stored in a Glucose‐Free Additive Solution or in Autologous Plasma – An Ultrastructural and Morphometric Evaluation

“…In order to improve the quality of stored platelets and for sal-vage of plasma, several additive solutions were introduced. Some revealed good preservation of basic metabolic parameters and in vitro functions of the platelets [3][4][5][6][7][8]. In contrast to glucose-containing storage media [7], several glucose-free additive solutions were developed in recent years that contained alternative fuels to minimize the production of lactate within the PC [5,[8][9][10][11].…”

Recovery of extra plasma during preparation of platelet concentrates using a new centrifugation support

“…The major choices available at present are to increase collection by plasmapheresis (Sekiguchi, 1996) or to improve recovery from standard blood donations. Loss of plasma during processing of standard blood donations is mainly associated with the preparation of platelet concentrates and is of two kinds: (i) plasma used to resuspend the platelets, which can be conserved by reducing the volume of the platelet concentrate (PC) (Adams et al, 1987) or by replacing plasma with a platelet storage medium (Whisson et al, 1993;Murphy et al, 1995) and (ii) plasma trapped in the red-cell concentrate (RCC) as a result of the slow first spin used to separate platelet-rich plasma (PRP). This second kind of loss is much greater than the loss due to platelet resuspension and has the further disadvantage that it is associated with a nonstandard low-haematocrit red-cell product.…”