Optimizing Buffy Coat Pooling: Enhancing Platelet Yield Through Platelet Count-Based Sorting

Abstract

Optimizing platelet yield in pooled buffy coat (BC)-derived platelet products by sorting them according to donor whole blood (WB) platelet counts is a promising approach to increase the production of double-dose platelet concentrates while reducing the variability among products. We aimed to assess the benefit of sorting according to an HTML-report generated by an in-house developed preselection algorithm. In this study, we compared two approaches of BC pooling to produce pathogen-inactivated double-dose platelet concentrates. The platelet count of donor WB was measured using a hematology analyzer prior to pooling. In one group, six BCs were randomly assigned to pools, while in the other group, six BCs were sorted by platelet counts of WB samples prior to pooling according to an in-house developed preselection algorithm, selecting six BCs for each pool in a way that yields for each product are similar. All BCs were included as no minimum or maximum platelet count entry criteria were used. Yield and divisibility rate of both approaches were compared using Wilcoxon Rank−Sum Test to assess the impact of sorting by platelet count. Sorting BCs according to our in-house developed algorithm resulted in significantly higher median platelet concentrations (×10³/µL), rising from 1247 (interquartile range [IQR] 1207-1349) when randomly assigned to 1307 (IQR 1237-1381) when sorted (P = .0434). In line, yields per platelet unit (×10¹¹/unit) significantly increased from 4.6 (IQR 4.3-4.8) when randomly assigned to 4.8 (IQR 4.5-5.1) when sorted (P = .0191). The proportion of divisible pathogen-inactivated platelet units increased from 72.1% to 89.5%. For both approaches, all units were above the minimum threshold (>2.0 × 10¹¹/unit) and no maximum threshold was defined. Assigning BCs to pools according to an in-house developed preselection algorithm enables the production of platelet concentrates with increased yields and leads to more standardized products.