Impact of implementing pathogen reduction technologies for platelets on reducing outdates

Background and objectives: Applying pathogen reduction technologies (PRT) to platelets can extend their shelf life from 5 to 7 days, but there have been few systematic studies of the repercussions of such technologies on outdate rates.

Material and methods: The benefits in terms of outdate rates of applying PRT to platelets are studied via a mathematical simulation. Specifically, statistical methods are used to determine the daily production rate needed to meet demand while not exceeding a maximum amount set as a result of limitations on donations and while assuring a minimum daily stock.

Results: The results show that a 2-day extension in the shelf life of platelet concentrates (PC) results in reductions in outdates ranging from 88·4% to 100% at the production centres analysed. It may be the case for budgetary reasons that only part of the PCs produced can be treated. This being so, we show that if the proportion treated per annum exceeds 25% the best option is to treat part of the output every day, otherwise, it is preferable to concentrate treatment on the last two production days of the week.

Conclusions: Extending the shelf life of PC from five to seven days and setting up suitable production logistics can drastically reduce outdates at production centres. If only a part of all PCs is treated, the best choices are to distribute PRT overall production days or, if the percentage of PCs treated is very low, to apply PRT on the days preceding the weekend break.