Platelet concentrates in an additive solution prepared from pooled buffy coats. In vivo studies

Leukocyte-depleted platelet concentrates were prepared from pools of 4 buffy coats on the day after blood collection (BC-PC). The storage medium was composed of citrate phosphate dextrose plasma and a platelet-additive solution. Autologous transfusions of 111In-labelled platelets in 9 healthy volunteers were performed on the day of preparation (day 1) and on day 5. The recovery was 54.6 +/- 8.7 (day 1) and 51.9 +/- 10.4% (day 5), T1/2 was 101 +/- 28 and 61 +/- 9 h, respectively. The survival was 8.3 +/- 1.7 and 5.7 +/- 1.0 days, respectively, using linear plot, and 7.8 +/- 2.0 and 5.8 +/- 0.5 days using the multiple hit method. In a prospective clinical study a comparison of the corrected posttransfusion increments was made between BC-PCs and apheresis-PC, and between fresh (1-2 days) and stored (3-5 days) preparations. No difference was found between BC-PCs and apheresis PCs. However, fresh BC-PCs gave higher increments than stored BC-PCs. A slight numerical difference between fresh and stored apheresis-PCs was not statistically significant. It is concluded that the BC-PC method results in platelets of equal quality to apheresis-PC.