The Quality and Outcomes of the Platelet Concentrates

The global demand for platelet transfusion is continuously increasing because of therapies that use platelet concentrates (PCs). Aside from the general condition of patients, the quality of platelets to be transfused is highly important for a successful treatment. The quality of PCs can be influenced by different platelet preparation methods. With concern over the quality of platelet products in the National Blood Center (NBC) of Malaysia, this study embarked on finding the best method to achieve high-quality PCs and improve the function of platelets in vivo, potentially leading to the improved clinical effectiveness of platelet transfusion by the NBC of Malaysia. This study compared the quality of the PCs product obtained using the manual method and apheresis machines by detecting the cytokines levels and platelet activation in PCs. The efficacy of the PCs was also evaluated by detecting the pre- and post-transfusion platelet counts as well as by investigating any adverse effect upon transfusion. This research is the first in Malaysia that relates the laboratory changes observed to clinically significant effects and deals with the clinical side of patients.