title: Effects of platelet concentrate storage time reduction in patients after blood stem cell transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effect of platelet concentrate (PC) transfusions after PC storage time reduction to 4 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-centre cohort study comparing two 3-month periods of time, before and after the reduction of PC storage time from 5 to 4 days. Seventy-seven consecutive patients with PC transfusions were enrolled after blood stem cell transplantation. Corrected platelet count increment (CCI) on the morning after transfusion, time to next platelet transfusion, need for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and clinical bleeding symptoms were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet concentrate storage time was reduced between period 1 (storage for up to 5 days, median storage time 78 h, range 11-136 h) and period 2 (storage for up to 4 days, median storage time 53 h, range 11-112 h). Patients were comparable for age, weight, body surface area, underlying disorder, type of transplantation and transfused platelet dose. The CCI increased from a median of 4 (range 0-20) to 8 (0-68) × 10(9) /l per 10(11) platelets/m(2) (P < 0·0001). Time to next PC transfusion increased from 1·1 to 2·0 days (P < 0·0001). Any bleeding symptom was noted in 20 of 36 patients (56%) vs. 9/41 patients (22%, P < 0·01). Nose bleeds, haematuria and bleeding at more than one site were significantly reduced. Frequency of RBC transfusion within 5 days after PC transfusion was reduced from 74 to 58% (P < 0·0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Platelet concentrate storage time shortening was associated with highly significant CCI increase, reduced RC needs and lower patient numbers with bleeding events.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. heuft.hans-gert@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: H-G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Heuft
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goudeva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krauter
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peest
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tiede
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D013997:Time Factors