A Study of Variables Affecting the Quality of Platelets Stored at “Room Temperature”

TLDR

The study investigated how donor characteristics and collection, processing, and storage methods influence the quality of platelets stored at room temperature. Platelet quality was evaluated by monitoring structural integrity, pH decline, loss of aggregability, and the in vivo clearance of 51Cr‑labeled platelets during storage. Optimal preservation was achieved with platelet concentrations below 2.5 × 10⁶ /µL, temperatures under 24 °C, and continuous gentle agitation, and platelets from female donors tolerated storage less well, while other variables had little effect.

Abstract

The effect of variables associated with the donor and with methods of collecting, processing, and storing platelets on the quality of platelets kept at ambient temperature was studied. Changes in structural integrity of platelets, decrease in pH, loss of aggregability, and kinetics in vivo of platelets tagged with 51 Cr were used as indicators of the tolerance of platelets to storage. A platelet concentration of less than 2.5 × 10 6 per cu mm, a temperature of storage less than 24 C, and continuous, gentle, agitation were found to be essential for satisfactory preservation of platelet integrity, function, and posttransfusion survival. Platelets from female donors tolerated storage less well than did platelets from male donors, possibly because the lower hematocrit of blood collection from females resulted in greater initial acidity of the concentrate. A number of other variables analyzed appear to be of little or no consequence for successful platelet storage.