Cryopreserved vs Liquid-Stored Platelets for the Treatment of Surgical Bleeding

Are cryopreserved platelets less effective and safe than conventional liquid-stored platelets in the treatment of cardiac surgical bleeding?In bleeding adult cardiac surgery patients, cryopreserved platelets did not significantly increase 24-hour postoperative blood loss, although the plausible upper limit of blood loss exceeded the prespecified 20% noninferiority margin, and cryopreserved platelets were associated with significantly greater intraoperative and total blood loss as well as significantly more transfusions of other blood components. Despite a similar incidence of prespecified adverse events, patients receiving cryopreserved platelets were extubated and discharged from the intensive care unit and hospital significantly later.Cryopreserved platelets did not meet the criterion for noninferiority to liquid-stored platelets for bleeding control in cardiac surgery.

Corresponding Author: Michael C. Reade, MBBS, DPhil, Medical School, University of Queensland, UQ Health Sciences Bldg, Level 9, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Queensland 4029, Australia (m.reade@uq.edu.au).

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