Submitted April 28, 2006
Accepted June 16, 2006
A multicenter randomized study of the efficacy of
transfusions with platelets stored in platelet additive
solution II versus plasma
Jean-Louis H Kerkhoffs*, Jeroen C Eikenboom, Martin S Schipperus, Rinie J van Wordragen-Vlaswinkel, Ronald Brand, Mark S Harvey, Rene R de Vries, Renee Barge, Dick J van Rhenen, and Anneke Brand
Sanquin Blood Bank South West Region, Rotterdam; Dept. of Hematology, HagaZiekenhuis, The Hague
Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Centre
Department of Hematology, HagaZiekenhuis, The Hague
Sanquin Blood Bank South West Region, Rotterdam
Department of Medical Statistics, Leiden University Medical Centre
Dept. of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
* Corresponding author; email: jeanlouis.kerkhoffs{at}bloodrtd.nl.
Randomized studies testing the clinical efficacy of
platelet additive solutions (PASs) for storage of
platelets are scarce and often biased by patient
selection. We conducted a multicenter, randomized study
to
investigate clinical efficacy of platelets stored in PAS
II versus plasma, also including patients with clinical
complications associated with increased platelet
consumption. A total number of 168 evaluable patients
received pooled buffy coat derived platelet concentrates
(PC) suspended in either plasma (n = 354) or PAS II (n =
411), stored up to 5 days. Both univariate as well as
multivariate analysis showed a significant effect of used
storage medium in regard to 1- and 24 hour count
increments and corrected count increments, in favour of
plasma PCs. However, there were no significant
differences
between the groups regarding bleeding complications and
transfusion interval. Adverse transfusion reactions
occurred significantly less after transfusions with PAS
II
PCs (p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis showed no
significant effect of the used storage medium on the
incidence of 1- and 24-hour transfusion failure. We
showed
safety and efficacy of PAS II PCs in intensively treated
patients, however plasma PCs show superior increments.
