An overview of current quality control procedures in platelet storage lesion and transfusion.

In brief the major tasks in quality monitoring of platelet concentrates are: (i) To ensure that the process is able to meet the product specifications. (ii) To steer the apheresis session and production laboratory towards prevention-oriented decisions. (iii) To provide data on where problems are likely to occur, helping to identify cause-and-effect relationships. (iv) To communicate information in rapid, accurate and simple ways to help both in the concept of pre-release testing and preventative maintenance. These can only be achieved by exchange of ideas and collaborative work between producer and user but, for the purpose of pre-release testing, the dMPV provides unique criteria for control of platelet concentrates by both users and producer and is a method of choice. The three criteria of acceptability--platelet number, platelet function and leucocyte count--can be effectively measured by one test on paired samples with excellent accuracy using a cell counter, helping to standardize quality determination. In several blood transfusions services a trend in this direction is already on the way.