Comparison of different protocols in plateletpheresis with the haemonetics MCS 3p blood cell separator with respect to parameters of product quality.

Abstract

Background: In thrombocytapheresis, intermittent flow cell separators produce platelet concentrates (PC) with a higher leucocyte contamination than continuous flow blood cell separators. The new discontinuous flow cell separator Haemonetics MCS 3p offers a low-leucocyte solution for PC. The quality of PC obtained by the MCS 3p was investigated in this study.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Haemapheresis Unit of a University Clinic.

Patients: Healthy blood donors from the haemapheresis unit.

Materials and methods: Platelet (PLT) yield, separation efficiency and white blood cell (WBC) contamination were studied in three different protocols. Two protocols used a haemocalculator, which calculated the target volume based on the donor's physical characteristics and the desired PLT yield for the procedure. Protocol I used 3,000 ml as target process volume and protocol II 3.3 x 10(11) as desired PLT yield. Protocol III was used without haemocalculator. Glucose, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), morphology score and pH value were analysed to investigate the quality of the PC.

Results: Platelet yield and separation efficiency were not statistically different in the three protocols. Leucocyte contamination was lowest in the protocol without haemocalculator (median: 3.15 x 10(6), range 0.4-20.8 x 10(6)). Glucose, lactate, LDH and pH were not statistically different in the three protocols. Morphology score was best in protocol III.

Conclusions: PLT collection with the MCS 3p blood cell separator results in sufficient thrombocyte yields. Using the haemocalculator we were not able to achieve the desired platelet yield. For this reason, and because of the higher WBC contamination in protocol II we prefer PLT collection without the haemocalculator. The quality of the platelet concentrates was good with respect to the parameters glucose, lactate, LDH, morphology score and pH.