COMPONENTS PREPARED FROM BLOOD COLLECTED INTO DEXTROSE-FREE ANTICOAGULANT - IN-VITRO PROPERTIES OF PLATELETS SUSPENDED IN PLASMA AND IN DEXTROSE-FREE SYNTHETIC MEDIUM

Blood donations were collected into dextrose-free citrate (C) anticoagulant, so as to result in citrate levels equal to those found in standard anticoagulant (CPD). Platelet concentrates (PCs) prepared from these donations were suspended in plasma or in a dextrose-free synthetic medium. In paired studies comparing storage in different plastics, pH was adequately maintained when C platelets were stored in Fenwal PL1240 or PL146, while in C platelets supplemented with dextrose pH levels were only maintained in PL1240. In addition, platelet counts in C platelets stored in PL1240 showed no relationship with the pH at the end of storage (R=0.13), while a strong correlation was found for CPD platelets (R=-0.76). In vitro tests of platelet quality showed that C platelets suspended in plasma or in the synthetic medium showed similar or superior properties to C platelets suspended in plasma supplemented with dextrose. These findings suggest that dextrose from plasma carry over is not responsible for maintaining previously reported improvements in the quality of platelets in a dextrose-free synthetic medium. It is suggested that exclusion of dextrose from the platelet's storage environment allows platelet pH and in vitro quality to be maintained without the constraints of platelet count or storage plastic.