QUALITY-CONTROL OF PLATELET CONCENTRATES BY THE THROMBOSTAT-4000

Quality control of platelet concentrates (PC) is an important prerequi site for good transfusion praxis. However, direct measurement of plate let function is complex, since available methods (e.g. aggregometry, s erotonin release) are time consuming and require special equipment. Th erefore a test system is needed, which is easy to handle, fast, and ac hieves reliable results. The present paper compares the results of con ventional platelet function tests with those of a modified in-vitro bl eeding test (IVBT) (Thrombostat 4000) in liquid-stored and cryopreserv ed PCs. A high correlation between aggregometry, serotonin release, GM P 140 expression upon stimulation, and IVBT was demonstrated. Therefor e IVBT seems to be a good alternative to the conventional platelet fun ction tests for quality control of PCs. In addition, a good correlatio n between the results of IVBT of patients' blood after PC transfusion and IVBT of patients blood before transfusion supplemented with platel ets of the respective PC could be found. Therefore IVBT seems to be ab le to predict PC transfusion success. However, since these data were o btained in a small sample undergoing bone marrow transplantation, furt her studies are needed to verify this hypothesis.