Apheresis platelets in additive solution: Is it a good alternative to conventional group-specific apheresis platelets?

Introduction: India is among the medium developed countries with a population over 1.25 billion with areas of difficult terrains, landslides, and there is requirement of platelets for dengue outbreaks,cancer patients or patients needing intensive care. Use of nongroup-specific platelets is common and the incompatible plasma comes with complications at times. Thus, finding group-specific platelets have always been difficult. Arranging group-specific donor is really a challenge, especially in cases of international patients, outstation patients, and patients that require numerous platelet transfusions, more so in hospital-based blood banks that have limited voluntary apheresis blood donor registry. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in multispecialty tertiary health-care hospital of Delhi/NCR where the majority of patients are from a different place or different state or a different country. To make do with the available donors who are often replacement donors of a group different from the patient, platelet additive solution (PAS) was used to replace the incompatible plasma. Use of PAS was implemented on all apheresis prepared using storage solution for platelets (SSP+, Macopharma, France) using apheresis platform. PAS was added after collection of hyperconcentrated platelets units. Control group ( n = 10) included patients receiving group-specific platelets during the study. Results: A total of 130 apheresis units were prepared on PAS during the study. 126 units were issued to 77 patients. 99.2% of donors under study were male and 47.7% in age group 18–30 years and 31.5% of blood Group O positive. Final platelet volume prepared was 300 ± 20 ml. Mean platelet volume and product pH were within normal range. Conclusion: Use of PAS for apheresis platelets eliminates the need for group-specific platelets converting all single-donor apheresis platelets to universal platelets, thereby helping in better management without compromise in patient safety.