Multicenter evaluation of a whole-blood filter that saves platelets

BACKGROUND:  Whole-blood (WB) leukoreduction filters in current use retain the majority of PLTs. A new whole-blood filter, which retains significantly fewer of the PLTs (or saves PLTs [WB-SP]), has been developed. The performance characteristics of the WB-SP filter have been evaluated in a multicenter study. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  A total of 617 units of WB was collected into quadruple bag sets with an integrated WB-SP filter, leukoreduced, and processed into leukoreduced RBCs (LR-RBC), plasma (LR-PL), and buffy coats (LR-BC) from which, pooled, leukoreduced, PLT concentrates (LR-PCs) were produced. Recovery, yield, and residual WBCs were assessed in prepared blood components. RESULTS:  The median residual WBC number in the LR-RBCs was 0.05 × 106 (range, <0.05-3.8), exceeding 1 × 106 in 0.6 percent of the units. Median Hb content in LR-RBC was 50 g (range, 34-72), reflecting a final RBC recovery of 81 ± 6 percent. The median WBC content of the LR-PC was 0.05 × 106 (range, <0.05-0.28), with none exceeding 1 × 106. The median PLT content of the LR-PC, per individual donation, was 6.4 × 1010 (range, 4.1-10.7), representing a final recovery of 62 ± 10 percent. The mean FVIII activity was 104 ± 25 percent and 83 ± 11 percent in plasma separated from fresh or overnight stored WB, respectively. CONCLUSION:  Use of the WB-SP filter makes it possible to obtain three leukoreduced blood components with only one filtration step. The WB-SP filter showed good leukoreduction performance and recovery of all blood components including PLTs.