pathogen-reduced platelets (University of Maryland, Baltimore)

Pathogen-reduced platelets (PRT-PLTs) are a specialized blood product used for transfusion to manage and prevent bleeding, particularly in patients with thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunction. In the context of the University of Maryland, Baltimore clinical trial, these platelets are being evaluated for their hemostatic efficacy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, a procedure known to impair platelet function. The pathogen reduction technology involves treating the platelet unit with a chemical agent and ultraviolet light to cross-link nucleic acids, thereby inactivating potential viral, bacterial, and protozoal contaminants. This process enhances the safety profile of the transfusion by reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections while aiming to maintain the platelets' ability to adhere, aggregate, and facilitate clot formation at sites of vascular injury.

Other names

pathogen-inactivated plateletsPRT plateletsPlatelet transfusion