USE OF PROSTAGLANDIN E(1) DURING PREPARATION OF PLATELET CONCENTRATES

A paired study in 10 autologous volunteer donors was undertaken to inv estigate the efficacy of adding prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) in vitro d uring routine platelet concentrate (PC) production. After 5 days stora ge, PCs prepared with PGE(1) were compared with control PCs. In vivo p latelet recovery, survival and biodistribution were determined followi ng autologous infusion of indium-111 labelled platelets into volunteer s, together with the in vitro evaluation of platelet function and bioc hemistry. PGE(1) facilitated easier and faster platelet resuspension f ollowing centrifugation. After storage there were few significant in v itro differences between PCs prepared with PGE(1) and control PCs. The artifactual leucocyte concentration was significantly lower in the pr esence of PGE(1), suggesting less platelet aggregates had been formed during storage and beta-thromboglobulin release was significantly redu ced by PGE(1), 14.0 +/- 6.0 mu g per 10(9) platelets compared with 22. 3 +/- 9.8 mu g per 10(9) platelets in control PCs, (P < 0.01), indicat ing PGE(1) reduced both platelet aggregation and activation probably a t the initial preparation stage, known to produce the greatest trauma. Initial in vivo platelet recovery for PCs prepared with PGE(1) was si milar to that of control PCs, 41.1 +/- 12.5% vs. 44.4 +/- 8.0%, respec tively, and there were no differences in organ distribution at 24 h. H owever, in vivo multiple hit survival was reduced in the presence of P GE(1), 5.8 +/- 1.6 days compared with 6.9 +/- 1.4 days in control PCs (P < 0.05). Despite the ability of PGE(1) to facilitate platelet resus pension and inhibit platelet aggregation and activation during prepara tion of the PCs, the reduced in vivo survival time may preclude the us e of PGE(1) during routine PC preparation.