Should pH and glucose testing of single-donor apheresis platelets be discontinued in favor of a more sensitive detection method?

A letter authored by Drs. Roslyn Yomtovian and Mark Brecher appears in the April 2005 issue of Transfusion, Volume 45 Issue 4 Page 646 (Transfusion subscription required to access full text) and urges that pH and glucose testing of single-donor apheresis platelets should be discontinued in favor of more sensitive detection methods. The letter also urges the AABB and CAP to strengthen requirements and/or recommendations for bacterial detection in platelets to limit the use of pH and glucose testing strictly to whole blood derived donor platelets and then only when another more sensitive and practical alternative is not available. Comments regarding these recommendations are solicited.

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