The effect of storage period on the platelet levels on whole blood in the blood bank refrigerator

The quality of blood treatment before and after transfusion must be maintained to prevent the potential of transfusion reactions. A blood storage process must meet the requirements that have been set. Platelets play a role in repairing the chain reaction of blood vessel damage and initiating bleeding cessation that results in blood clotting. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the effect of storage period on platelet levels in whole blood in a blood bank refrigerator using a quasi-experimental method (one-group pre-post test design). The population was 30 donors selected by simple random sampling. Data analysis used was Friedman test. The results showed that there was a significant effect of storage period on platelet levels at 0, 10, 20 and 30 days with a p value <001. The life span of platelets in vivo is about 7-10 days, whereas in vitro (without shaking) is only 3 days. The decrease in platelet levels is possible due to short lifespan effect and changes in cell structure. This can cause the platelet cells morphology to change shape to become irreversible and can cause the loss of platelet viability. The blood storage period with the right duration is needed to maintain blood quality.