Transfusion results of cytapheresis platelet concentrates stored in two different polyolefin containers for five days

Two different types of polyolefin storage containers were compared in order to estimate their ability to preserve apheresis platelet concentrates for 5 days.

Ten pairs each consisting of one patient with thrombocytopenia following chemotherapy and one healthy platelet apheresis donor were examined. The platelet concentrates stored in the LE-2 bag were collected with a Fresenius AS 104 cell separator and those stored in the PL 732 with a Fenwal CS 3000.

The separation efficiency of both cell separators was similar; the mean yields were 3.37 +/- 0.83 x 10(11) platelets in 274 +/- 26 ml for the AS 104 and 3.87 +/- 1.31 x 10(11) platelets in 318 +/- 22 ml for the CS 3000 (mean +/- SD). Storage for 5 days did not influence the platelet count significantly. The platelet loss due to filtration was 16 and 13%, respectively. The mean platelet volume obtained with both systems was reduced from a mean of 8.4 fl immediately after harvesting to 7.6 fl after storage (p < 0.0001) and to 7.3 fl after filtration (p = 0.001). The established corrected count increments (CCI) and the pre- and posttransfusion platelet counts were satisfactory and comparable for the 2 systems tested. The mean CCI of the AS 104-LE-2 system was 14.5 1 h and 7.4 x 10(9) platelets 24 h after transfusion, the mean CCI of the CS 3000-PL 732 system was 12.5 and 5.2 x 10(9) platelets, respectively.

Single-donor apheresis concentrates with a large platelet content may be stored in the new LE-2 polyolefin container for up to 5 days and used in clinical transfusion.