Viability and function of platelet concentrates stored in CPD-adenine (CPDA-1)

The effective use of CPDA-1 as an anticoagulant in routine blood banking practice requires demonstration that platelet concentrates prepared in this solution meet both in vitro quality control standards and maintain posttransfusion viability and function after storage. In this study of 138 units of CPDA-1 platelet concentrates, the average platelet count was 8.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(10) with 81 per cent of the units having greater than 5.5 x 10(10) platelets. The mean poststorage pH was 6.68 +/- 0.03 and only four of the units had a pH of less than 6.0 (3%). Residual plasma volume averaged 75 +/- 1 ml. Platelet viability was determined in 16 normal volunteers by measuring survival of 51Cr-labeled autologous platelets after storage for 72 hours at 22 +/- 2 C. Platelet recovery averaged 50 +/- 4 per cent, while survival was 7.3 +/- 0.4 days for the 15 units with a pH above 6.0. Measurements of posttransfusion platelet viability and function were made in 12 paients with thrombocytopenia secondary to marrow failure. Their mean pretransfusion platelet count was 17,000 +/- 2,000/microliter, and their standardized template bleeding times were all greater than 30 minutes. Platelet recovery averaged 44 +/- 5 per cent and survival 3.3 +/- 0.5 days. In seven of the patients with the best posttransfusion increments, bleeding time was improved. Five patients with poor posttranfusion platelet increments showed no improvement in bleeding time with CPDA-1; two of these patients were also transfused with CPD platelets and had no response. Our studies indicate that platelet concentrates prepared in CPDA-1 meet in vitro quality control standards and after transfusion, maintain viability and function comparable to that of CPD collected platelets.