Quality assessment of platelet concentrate prepared at a tertiary centre in Nigeria

The need for platelet transfusion has increased at the University College Hospital (U.C.H.) Ibadan, Nigeria because of improved patient care and use of intensive therapeutic regimen associated with bone marrow aplasia. Therefore there is a need to assess the quality of the platelet concentrate prepared in our environment with a view to improving the quality of services available, consequently this study was carried out. Fifty platelet concentrates were assessed for pH, swirling index, volume, platelet count, WBC count and red cell count. All the concentrate preparations were within acceptable pH value of 7.25. The average volume was 18.52 mls/bag. The average platelet count per concentrate was 41.7+/-39.5 x 10(9)/L. Thirty-five percent (35%) of the platelet concentrates had a value > 55 x 10(9)/L. White blood cell count (WBC) < 12 x 10(9)/L was seen 49% of the platelet concentrates prepared. Forty percent (40%) of the platelet concentrate had a red blood cell count (RBC count) > 12 x 10(9)/L with 30% not having red cell contamination. Swirling test was positive in 72% of the platelet concentrate units. The results from this study point to the need to improve the quality of the platelet concentrates being prepared in our blood bank in order to get maximum therapeutic values. There is also a need for regular quality control of the platelet concentrate being prepared in our blood bank.