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A critical comparison of platelet preparation methods
Ralph R Vassallo1, Scott Murphy
1American Red Cross Blood Services - Penn-Jersey Region, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19123, USA. vassallor@usa.redcross.org
Current Opinion in Hematology
|August 5, 2006
Summary
Apheresis platelets offer convenience and safety, while whole-blood-derived platelets have varying quality. New pooling methods may combine benefits, but more research is needed for optimal platelet supply strategies.
Area of Science:
- Transfusion Medicine
- Hematology
- Blood Component Preparation
Background:
- Platelet concentrates are prepared via whole blood or apheresis.
- Current US (predominantly apheresis) and European (50:50) ratios may not be cost-effective or optimize donor contributions.
- Post-storage pooled whole-blood-derived platelets lack the safety and convenience of apheresis products.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the relative merits of apheresis-derived versus whole-blood-derived platelets.
- To evaluate current practices in platelet concentrate preparation and supply.
- To identify areas for future research to optimize platelet procurement and manufacturing.
Main Methods:
- Literature-based review of existing studies on platelet concentrate preparation and quality.
- Comparison of outcomes for apheresis-derived and whole-blood-derived platelets.
- Analysis of manufacturing methods for whole-blood-derived platelets (platelet-rich plasma vs. buffy coat).
Main Results:
- Different whole-blood-derived platelet manufacturing methods impact platelet activation and concentrate quality.
- Apheresis-derived platelets show superior radiolabel recovery and post-transfusion increments compared to platelet-rich plasma-derived platelets.
- A new pre-storage pooling system for whole-blood-derived platelets is licensed in the US, potentially merging benefits of both methods.
Conclusions:
- Further studies are required to determine the optimal balance between apheresis and whole-blood-derived platelet sources.
- Research is needed to identify the best whole-blood-derived production method for US blood providers.
- Evidence-based decisions are necessary to optimize platelet supply chains and healthcare costs.
