Buffy coat pooled platelet concentrate: A new age platelet component

BACKGROUND: Buffy coat pooled platelet concentrate (BCPP) is a new blood component mainly used in Europe, which has good attributes of both random donor platelets and apheresis platelets in terms of high platelet count, leukoreduced and available in emergency. We planned this study to compare quality parameters and biochemical activation markers among buffy coat pooled platelets and apheresis platelet concentrate (AP-PC) to establish the quality and safety of this new blood component during storage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three different preparations of BCPP were prepared: Nonleukoreduced (BCPP Part A), leukoreduced (BCPP Part B), and leukoreduced with platelet additive solution (PAS) (BCPP Part C) using a pool of 15 ABO-matched, nonreactive buffy-coats in each experiment to avoid any donor-related variations. Ten such experiments were done. Each BCPP was equivalent to 5 buffy coat units. Ten apheresis platelets were taken as control. Serial samplings were done on day 0, 3, and 5 of collection and were assessed for: volume, platelet count, white blood cell count, swirling, pH, sterility, glucose, lactate, soluble p-selectin, Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). RESULTS: BCPP Part C (leukoreduced with PAS) maintained the best quality parameters in terms of maintenance of pH, least lactate accumulation, least sP-selectin levels, and least accumulation of inflammatory mediators (IL-6, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha) than the other groups >BCPP part B >AP-PC and >BCPP Part A. On day 5 of storage pH for BCPP Part A, Part B, Part C, and AP-PC was: 6.33, 6.42, 6.64, and 6.29, respectively, and soluble p-selectin (ng/ml) was 201 +/- 22, 186 +/- 11, 149 +/- 18, 200 +/- 23, respectively. BCPP Part B and AP-PC had comparable quality parameters and activation markers. CONCLUSIONS: Buffy coat pooled platelet has comparable and even better-quality control parameters (especially leukofiltered with PAS) than conventional platelet preparation and is a good alternative for meeting platelet transfusion requirements of critical patients during emergency hours in resource-constraint setting.