EFFECTS OF STORAGE ON IN-VITRO PLATELET RESPONSES - COMPARISON OF ACDAND NA CITRATE ANTICOAGULATED SAMPLES

The present study was designed to evaluate whether the use of acid cit rate dextrose (ACD) Formula A may enhance the survival of platelets du ring storage, thus allowing the continuance of platelet studies over t he period of 2-3 hours usually recommended. For this purpose the effec ts of time on in vitro platelet response to several agonists have been investigated in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) obtained from blood sample s anticoagulated with either Na citrate or ACD Formula A. The analysis of the data obtained in in vitro platelet aggregation studies using v arious parameters and at different time points demonstrated that stora ge of PRP obtained from citrated samples caused a marked reduction of platelet responses. This reduction was already evident after 6 hours, and a strong decrease was observed after 8 hours with all the agonists used. On the other hand, storage of ACD anticoagulated blood did not cause any significant decrease of platelet responsiveness up to 6 hour s. A reduction of platelet aggregation became evident only after 8 hou rs, but not to the same extent as the one observed in citrated samples . Therefore, it may be concluded that the use of ACD Formula A as anti coagulant is capable of maintaining a normal platelet responsiveness u p to 6-8 hours, thus permitting the investigation of platelet function for periods of time over those commonly recommended. (C) 1996 Wiley-L iss, Inc.