A transfusion medicine colleague in South Africa is concerned over published literature suggesting that the collection and processing of platelets incurs varying degrees of platelet activation and/or hypofunctioning (see references below). She wonders about a role for platelet function tests (aggregometry, flow cytometry or other methods) in assessing the hemostatic quality of platelet products (i.e pooled, apheresis, platelets stored in additive solutions), and she wonders if institutions or investigators would share their experience with such testing. She is aware of the e-Network Forum discussion HERE addressing if plateletpheresis donors (as opposed to the products they donated) should be routinely screened for evidence of platelet dysfunction.

References:

• Holme, S. Storage and Quality Assessment of Platelets.Vox Sanguinis 1998;74(Suppl.2):207-216.
• Murphy, M. The Efficacy of Synthetic Media in the Storage Of Human Platelets for Transfusion. Transfusion Medicine Reviews July 1999, Vol 13, No 3.
• George, JN, Pickett, EB and Heinz, R. Platelet membrane glycoprotein changes during the preparation and storage of platelet concentrates. Transfusion 1988;28:123-126.
• Gutensohn, K , Bartsch, N, and Kuehnl, P. Flow cytometric analysis of platelet membrane antigens during and after continuous -flow platepheresis.Transfusion 1997;37:809-817.
• Slichter, SJ. Platelet Transfusion:future directions. Vox Sanguinis (2004)87 (Suppl.2), S47-S51.

The following comments have been received.

ADDENDA May 31, 2005

1. A transfusion medicine scientist involved with the development of blood component and hemostasis/thrombosis technology reports that his group has developed a method to assess platelet microvesicule procoagulant versus anticoagulant activity. He believes that the method desribed at the reference below can be expanded to assess the ability of platelets to undergo micro vesiculation. The basic method has been published in Transfusion and Apheresis Science 2003;29:119-121 by Dr. Seghatchian. A novel method for assessing of procoagulant and anti coagulant properties of platelet-derived microvesicule and its usefulness for quality monitoring of platelet haemostatic function.

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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator