Implementation of buffy coat platelet component production: comparison to platelet-rich plasma platelet production.
BACKGROUND
Buffy coat (BC) production of platelets (PLTs) has been successfully used in Europe for more than two decades. Currently, Canadian Blood Services is implementing the BC method. This article summarizes results of the validation testing performed to qualify the process of PLT production from whole blood and compares the quality of PLTs produced in routine production by either the PLT-rich plasma method (PRP-PCs) or the BC method (BC-PCs).


METHODS
Validation data included variables used for routine quality control (QC; pH, PLT count, volume, sterility, residual white blood cell count) as well as nonroutine testing of PLTs for PLT activation, metabolic changes during storage, and PLT responsiveness to hypotonic shock and the extent of shape change induced by adenosine 5'-diphosphate. BC-PCs were tested on Days 1 and 6. QC of production runs included the same routine tests performed on Day 6.


RESULTS
PLTs produced by the BC method during validation and pilot implementation met all Canadian Standards Association standards with respect to yield, volume, pH, and leukoreduction. Additional validation testing indicated a moderate level of PLT storage lesion development. In comparison to PRP-PCs, in vitro variables of BC-PCs, either pH in this study, or other markers compared to the literature were better, suggesting that BC-PCs have less evidence of production-related damage and improved PLT quality during storage.


CONCLUSIONS
PLT concentrates produced from whole blood by the BC method after an overnight hold have laboratory variables suggestive of a higher quality than those concentrates produced by the PRP method.
Levin
Elena
E
Canadian Blood Services and University of British Columbia Centre for Blood Research, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Culibrk
Brankica
B
Gyöngyössy-Issa
Maria I C
MI
Weiss
Sandra
S
Scammell
Kenneth
K
LeFresne
Wanda
W
Jenkins
Craig
C
Devine
Dana V
DV
D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002498:Centrifugation / Q000379:methods*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures; D010976:Platelet Count; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma / Q000166:cytology*