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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Preparation and Pathogen Inactivation of Double Dose Buffy Coat Platelet Products using the INTERCEPT Blood System
Published on: December 7, 2012
In vitro evaluation of platelet concentrates suspended in additive solution and treated for pathogen reduction:
Azucena Castrillo1, Ignacio Álvarez2, Frank Tolksdorf3
1Transfusion Centre of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Background:
Platelet concentrates may demonstrate visual, macroscopic clumps immediately after collection following aphaeresis or production from whole blood, independently of the preparation method or equipment used. The relationship between the occurrence of clumping and their effect on in vitro quality of platelets was investigated.
Material And Methods:
Platelet concentrates, suspended in SSP+ additive solution (Macopharma), were obtained by automated processing and also from routine processing. A total of twelve units were allocated to the test group (n=12) due to the presence of clumps. Platelet concentrates without clumps were used as controls (n=10). All platelet units were treated for pathogen reduction following storage under continuous agitation for in vitro testing over a 9-day storage period.
Results:
No significant differences were found throughout storage between the groups. The lactate dehydrogenase levels increased in both groups; this increase was higher in the test group on the last day of testing, without there being a significant difference on day 2. In contrast, pH values on day 2 were significantly different between the test and control groups. Platelet-derived cytokines increased comparably during storage.
Discussion:
The results confirm good in vitro quality and storage stability of platelets suspended in SSP+ and treated with the Intercept pathogen reduction system. The presence of "non-compacted" clumps in platelet concentrates does not appear to affect the in vitro quality of the platelets.
