THE PLATELET-ADHESION CAPACITY TO SUBENDOTHELIAL MATRIX AND COLLAGEN IN A FLOW MODEL DURING STORAGE OF PLATELET CONCENTRATES FOR 7 DAYS

The influence of storage of platelet concentrates (PC) on the adhesion capacity of platelets was studied. Twenty-four PC, 12 prepared by the buffy coat (BC) method and 12 by the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) method, were stored for 7 days at room temperature. On days 1, 3 and 7 of storage, the platelet adhesion capacity to subendothelial matrix (SEM) and collagen was studied in a rectangular perfusion system under flow conditions in conjunction with the platelet aggregation capacity after stimulation and the adenine nucleotide content. The platelet adhesion capacity to collagen was constant until day 3 of storage and decreased to about 80% of the starting value on day 7 of storage. The adhesion capacity to SEM, however, had already decreased on day 3 to about 75% of the value of day 1 and was even more decreased on day 7 to about 45% of the starting value. On day 1, platelets prepared by the BC method displayed a higher adhesion capacity to collagen and a higher aggregation capacity after stimulation by collagen alone or in combination with ADP, compared to platelets prepared by the PRP method. No other significant differences in adhesion or aggregation capacity were observed between the PC prepared by the two different methods. Both platelet adhesion and aggregation response decreased during storage, as did the total adenine nucleotide content. This study shows that platelet function, as measured by the aggregation and adhesion capacity, of platelets prepared by the PRP method is more severely impaired during the first 3 days of storage as compared to the function of platelets prepared by the BC method.