On the biocompatibility of IBM 2997 continuous flow plateletapheresis

During the procedure of centrifugation cytapheresis donors occasionally experience adverse clinical reactions. We evaluated the possibility of whether activation of granulocytes and their subsequent release reactions, which may have been triggered by this extracorporeal circuit, were responsible for these adverse effects. Six blood samples were obtained during various set intervals during plateletapheresis. Of these, four samples were taken directly from each donor. The remaining two were drawn from the efferent lines, i.e. those which return blood from the cytapheresis machine back to the donor. Reactive oxygen species produced by granulocytes were monitored by chemiluminescence using microamounts of whole blood or isolated granulocytes. Furthermore, secreted granulocyte products such as neutral proteinase elastase, present in plasma in a complex with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (complexed elastase), and lysosomal beta-glucuronidase were examined. A complete blood cell count, as well as values of haemoglobin, haematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase, protein, albumin and proteinase inhibitors such as alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor were also determined. Complexed elastase increased from a preapheresis value of about 140 micrograms/l to about 180 micrograms/l at the end of the cytapheresis. All other clinical chemical and cytological values were 8 to 12 percent lower than preapheresis values, which can be attributed to inherent plasma volume expansion. Reduced chemiluminescence was observed upon stimulation of phagocytes in the whole blood assay (about 700 counts/min x 10(3) x 50,000 cells vs. about 600 counts/min x 10(3) x 50,000 cells). This decrease was also seen with stimulated granulocytes (about 5800 counts/min x 10(3) x 50,000 cells vs. about 4500 counts/min x 10(3) x 50,000 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)