Background: Preventing the activation of PLTs may ameliorate (or mitigate) the PLT storage lesion (PSL), which encloses all structural and biochemical changes caused by collection, processing, and storage of PLT concentrates (PCs). Partial inhibition of PLT function due to ingestion of aspirin (ASA) by blood donors reduces the functional activity of the collected PLTs, however, by preventing premature PLT activation, it might reduce the PSL as well.
Study design and methods: In a randomized crossover study, 10 healthy donors donated two single-donor PCs (SDPCs) each, taking 500 mg ASA 12 hours before one of the aphereses (Group A) and taking no medication before the other donation (Group B). In-vitro tests of PLT function were performed in donors before and after apheresis and in SDPCs during storage (Days 1, 3, and 5).
Results: ASA ingestion resulted in a significant decrease of induced PLT aggregation in donors (p < 0.005) and SDPCs on Day 1 (p < 0.01). TRAP-6-induced expression of p-selectin (CD62p) was significantly reduced in Group A SDPCs only on Day 1 (p < 0.02). There were no significant differences of in-vitro function (LDH, lactate, pH, morphology score, CD62p expression, fibrinogen binding) between Group A and B (SDPCs and donors). Apheresis did not result in a significant activation of PLTs in donors or SDPCs.
Conclusions: These limited data do not show a detectable beneficial effect of ASA ingestion on the PSL but do suggest that ASA ingestion before apheresis may not be detrimental to the clinical effectiveness of the stored product.