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Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Routine Screening Method for Microparticles in Platelet Transfusions
Published on: January 31, 2018
How do I implement an automated screen for high-titer ABO antibody as an inventory management tool for ABO
Magali J Fontaine1, Jan Webster2, Samantha Gomez2
1Department of Pathology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.
Background:
Plasma volume reduction (PVR) may reduce the risk of hemolysis associated with transfusion of plateletpheresis blood products (PLTs) containing ABO-incompatible plasma. But PVR may delay PLT issue. In collaboration with our blood donor center we evaluated an automated screen of PLT for high-titer ABO antibody and to apply PVR to high-titer PLTs.
Study Design And Methods:
At the donor center, plasma from PLT donors was tested using an automated microplate system (PK7300, Beckman). PK settings were set for a detection cutoff equivalent to 1 in 256 using a manual tube method. The donors associated with high-titer PLTs were characterized by sex and age. In the transfusion service, the number of PVR procedures was evaluated before and after implementation of the high-titer screen.
Results:
During validation, 157 of 1008 PLT units (15%) were positive by the automated method versus 121 (12%) by manual method. After implementation, 2112 of 15,240 PLT units were high-titer, with higher frequency in donations from females versus males (18% vs. 12%, p < 0.0001). The PLT PVR rate was reduced by 50%.
Conclusion:
Implementation of an automated method to screen PLTs for high-titer ABO antibody at the donor center improves the inventory management of PLTs containing ABO-incompatible plasma at the hospital transfusion service.

