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For hygienic purposes, plastic overwraps can be used for storage of leucoreduced red cell concentrates (LR-RCC). However, the effect of the use of such overwrapping on in vitro parameters during 42 days of storage was unknown.In paired experiments, LR-RCCs in SAGM (saline, adenine, glucose, mannitol) were packed in two types of polyethylene overwrap or in a polypropylene overwrap; no overwrap served as reference (n = 12 paired experiments). Units were stored at 2-6 degrees C for 42 days and sampled at regular intervals for in vitro analysis.No significant effect was found for any of the overwraps investigated. All units contained2.7 micromol adenosine triphosphate per gram haemoglobin and had a haemolysis rate well below 0.8% on Day 42.The use of plastic overwraps does not affect red cell quality markers in vitro.

We showed earlier that metabolically suppressed platelets (MSP) prepared by incubation in glucose-free, antimycin A medium at 37 degrees C better sustained storage at 4 degrees C than untreated controls at 22 degrees C. However, the use of the mitochondrial inhibitor antimycin A is incompatible with platelet transfusion.The aim of this study was to investigate how energy-reduced (ER) platelets could be prepared in the absence of antimycin A.Platelets in gas-impermeable bags in glucose-free medium were kept at 22 degrees C for 4 h to reduce energy stores and thereafter stored at 4 degrees C (ER22-4). Controls were energy-reduced platelets without prior incubation at 22 degrees C (ER4), and MSPs in test tubes and untreated platelets in gas-permeable bags with glucose and stored at 22 degrees C (C22) and 4 degrees C (C4).After 48 h storage, ER22-4 were superior to C22 with respect to pH preservation (6 x 4 +/- 0 x 4 vs. 5 x 0 +/- 0 x 4, n= 4), platelet count (800 +/- 225 vs. 650 +/- 150 x 10(9)), thrombin receptor-activating peptide-induced aggregation (50 +/- 15 vs. 10 +/- 5%) and glycoprotein (GP)Ib alpha expression (60 +/- 15% vs. 28 +/- 15). GPIb alpha expression was higher in ER22-4 than in ER4, indicating that energy suppression preserved GPIb alpha during cold storage.Metabolic suppression without the use of antimycin A could be mimicked by storage of platelets in glucose-free medium in gas-impermeable bags. Energy suppression preserved GPIb alpha expression during storage at 4 degrees C.

Bacterial screening and improvement of storage conditions of leukoreduced PLT concentrates (LR-PCs) allows extension of their storage period from 5 to 7 days.For in vitro studies, 40 LR-PCs made from five buffy coats and plasma were studied for 8 days. For in vivo studies, routinely produced LR-PCs stored for 2 to 7 days after blood collection were administered to clinically stable thrombocytopenic patients. CI1 h was calculated after 353 transfusions (67 patients), and CCI1 h, after 195 transfusions (55 patients), with pretransfusion PLT counts of not greater than 20 x 10(9) per mL.Storage experiments showed that the pH of LR-PCs remained greater than 6.8 for 8 days, provided that the PLT concentration was less than 1.3 x 10(9) per mL. Routinely produced LR-PCs had a volume of 282 +/- 15 mL (n = 10,193) and contained 329 x 10(9)+/- 40 x 10(9) PLTs (n = 3467). For 7-day-old LR-PCs, 76 of 78 (97%) of the transfusions resulted in a CI1 h of at least 10 and 37 of 39 (95%) in a CCI1 h of at least 7.5, which indicated levels for successfulness. Mean +/- SE values of CI1 h and CCI1 h of 7-day-old LR-PCs were 28.7 +/- 2.3 (n = 78) and 19.0 +/- 2.0 (n = 39), respectively. No significant differences were observed between 5- and 7-day-old LR-PCs transfused with respect to CI1 h and CCI1 h values.In vitro and in vivo studies showed that LR-PCs can be stored for up to 7 days with excellent clinical results, provided that they are routinely screened for bacterial contamination.

A method is described to prepare platelet concentrates from the buffycoat of citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) blood in a closed four-bag system and to store the platelets in autologous plasma under sterile conditions. After separation of the blood into plasma, buffycoat and leukocyte- and thrombocyte-poor red cell concentrate, saline-adenine-glucose-mannitol (SAGM) was added to the red cells. Next the platelets were concentrated in plasma by a second centrifugation and were transferred to the 600-ml bag that previously contained the SAGM. The platelets were stored for 72 h at 22 degrees C on a platform rotator at 1 cycle per second. The mean volume of the platelet concentrates (n = 12) was 61 ml, with an average platelet content of 72 X 10(9). The mean leukocyte contamination was only 17 X 10(6); erythrocytes were not detected. The aggregation of the platelets with 1 microM of ADP was normal. After 72 h of storage, the mean pH was 7.1 +/- 0.1. The PO2 always remained above 17 mm Hg. No loss of thrombocytes had occurred during storage. The platelets had retained their discoid shape. The aggregation response to ADP had disappeared, however. The in vivo viability of the platelets was determined in 8 healthy volunteers. Autologous platelets, stored for 72 h at 22 degrees C, were labeled with 51 Cr and reinfused [43 (+/- 9)% recovery at 15 min after reinfusion]. The mean survival time in vivo of the platelets was 6.8 (+/- 0.7) days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)