Postdonation platelet counts are safe when collecting platelets with the Trima Accel using a postdonation platelet count target of ≥50,000 platelets/μL

In December 2007, the FDA issued a guidance document recommending that apheresis cell separators be configured with a postdonation platelet count target of ≥100,000 platelets/μL. Currently, our Trima Accel apheresis cell separators are configured with a postdonation platelet count target of ≥50,000 platelets/μL. To determine the safety of our current procedure, we analyzed the postdonation platelet counts of 115 donors collected using our current procedure. All of 115 donors had postdonation platelet counts ≥100,000 platelets/μL. On the basis of predonation platelet counts, we calculated that raising the postdonation target platelet count to ≥100,000 platelets/μL would have disqualified 19 out of 225 potential platelet products. We conclude that the current postdonation platelet count target of ≥50,000 platelets/μL is safe for donors collected using the Trima Accel. Efforts to reduce the incidence of TRALI are creating challenges for the platelet supply. Increasing the postdonation platelet count target to ≥100,000 platelets/μL will reduce productivity in apheresis platelet collection and may not enhance donor safety. J. Clin. Apheresis 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.