Platelet kinetics after transfusion

A kinetics model is proposed for platelet disposition after transfusion of platelets. In this model, transfusion of platelets and production of endogenous platelets contribute to an increase in the number of platelets in patients, and the life span and age of each platelet contribute to a decrease. The time course of the number of platelets after transfusion of platelets is theoretically described by this model to be a straight line followed by a concave curve. When the platelets have a life span without any variation, a linear pattern is observed in spite of their different ages at the transfusion. This model with a constant life span was applied to three patients receiving platelet transfusion, and the model parameters were calculated by curve fitting the observed platelet levels to the model using the nonlinear least-squares method. As a result, the life span, distribution volume per body weight, and endogenous platelet level (averages for three patients) were calculated as 6.29 d, 0.137 L kg-1, and 1.40 x 10(4) counts microL-1, respectively. The calculated platelet levels in individual patients were compared with the observed ones during the next transfusions, and the relative and absolute differences between calculated and observed values were 2.0 +/- 15.3% and -0.075 +/- 0.443 x 10(4) counts microL-1 (mean +/- SD, 15 observed points for three patients), respectively. These case studies suggest that the model could be clinically useful for individual platelet transfusion.