[Comparison of plateletpheresis systems]

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Transfusion Medicine

Background:

• Assessing cell separators requires evaluating thrombocyte yield, separation efficiency, and purity of platelet concentrates.
• Comparing separation efficiency across different centers and procedures is challenging.
• Three new-generation cell separators were evaluated: COBE Spectra, Fresenius AS-104, and Fenwal CS-3000 TNX.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of three distinct cell separation systems.
• To evaluate thrombocyte yield, separation efficiency, and purity of platelet concentrates.
• To assess potential risks to donors associated with different separation procedures.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter counting study involving twelve centers was referenced.
• Direct comparison of COBE Spectra (n=71), Fresenius AS-104 (n>1100), and Fenwal CS-3000 TNX (n=79) in Marburg.
• Analysis included thrombocyte and leukocyte counts, platelet aggregation, and consideration of anticoagulant citrate dextrose (ACD) blood ratio.

Main Results:

• COBE Spectra demonstrated the highest separation efficiency and lowest leukocyte contamination when the ACD-blood ratio was within -15% of the algorithm.
• AS-104 and CS-3000 TNX showed similar separation efficiencies (approx. 60%), with AS-104 achieving higher purity than CS-3000.
• Reduced ACD ratios in COBE Spectra led to increased platelet aggregation, potentially affecting function and survival; longer donation times were noted.

Conclusions:

• COBE Spectra offers superior separation efficiency and purity, but requires careful management of the ACD-blood ratio to avoid platelet aggregation.
• AS-104 and CS-3000 TNX have comparable separation efficiencies, though AS-104 yields purer platelet concentrates.
• Despite performance differences, a definitive recommendation for a single cell separator system could not be made based on all evaluated criteria.