RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT IN THE BLOOD-BANK - EFFORTS OF A HOSPITAL DONOR CENTER TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY OF IN-LINE LEUKOCYTE REDUCTION FILTERS FOR AUTOMATED PLATELETPHERESIS

In-line leukocyte reduction filters (LRF) are available for use with an automated plateletpheresis (PPH) system. Initially, 62% of PPH units produced with such a filter (LRF6, N = 29) had postfiltration (POF) white blood cell (WBC) counts <5 x 10(6), with a mean POF WBC of 42 x 10(6). In an attempt to decrease POF WBCs, PPH were rested 30 to 60 minutes before filtration with LRF6. A new, larger-volume LRF (LRF10) was also assessed for its efficiency of leukodepletion. A total of 625 PPH, 490 filtered with LRF6 and 135 with LRF10, were evaluated using prefiltration (PRF) and POF samples. Mean prefiltration WBC loads averaged 80 x 10(6) (range, 60-88 x 10(6)) using seven combinations of filters, collection software, and PRF rest periods. Ninety-three percent of PPH units rested prior to filtration with LRF6 (N = 237) had <5 x 10(6) WBC POF, with a mean of 5 x 10(6) WBC POF. All PPH units filtered with LRF10 (N = 135), whether rested or not, had <5 x 10(6) WBC POF, with a mean WBC count of 0.2 x 10(6) POF. Mean platelet (PLT) yields POF ranged from 3.1 to 3.4 x 10(11). A PRF rest decreased mean POF WBC counts in products filtered with LRF6. The LRF10 consistently produced PPH with <5 x 10(6) WBC POF. Blood centers must thoroughly validate equipment utilized in the production of blood components. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.