An open-labelled, randomized, cross-over study of the effect of electromechanical pumps versus conventional gravity flow on platelet transfusion in adult haematology patients

Background: Only few data are available regarding the effect of the method of platelet transfusion on the platelet increment. Although administering platelets via either a free-flowing gravity or an electromechanical pump is common practice, there are no randomized trials addressing differences between these techniques.

Objectives: Our study aimed to determine whether infusion methods influence the platelet increment.

Methods: We studied the effect of 3 different electromechanical pumps that are used routinely for transfusion at our hospital; the Graseby 3000, Imed Gemini PC-1, and the Baxter Colleague in comparison to the free-flow gravity method. Between January 2007 and January 2011, we prospectively randomized the platelet transfusion method for 35 patients, in total 171 transfusion episodes. Most of the patients received platelets by each of the 4 different techniques. Patients with factors that may have influenced platelet recovery, such as infection, coagulopathy, platelet or HLA antibodies, were excluded.

Results: The Baxter Colleague pump method was associated with the highest platelet increment at 1 h after transfusion (p = 0.03). This effect vanished after 24 h. The Gemini and Graseby pumps gave results similar to those of the gravity flow method.

Conclusion: None of the different infusion pumps were inferior to the gravity flow method. Further studies to confirm these findings are warranted.