Background information about platelet rich plasma
Platelets are commonly recognized as a vital component of the blood clotting process. When an injury causes bleeding by damaging a blood vessel, platelets activate and to help create a clot and stop bleeding. Besides their role in clotting, platelets are also a reservoir for a range of regulatory, signaling, and growth-factor molecules. These molecules play an essential role in repairing and healing tissue in response to injury.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) a fraction of the plasma from the patient’s own blood. PRP has a higher concentration of platelets than the original sample. The platelets have alpha granules that are rich in growth factors that play an essential role in tissue healing. Because of this, PRP is used in various surgical fields to enhance bone and soft-tissue healing [1]. It has also been studied for cosmetic use, for instance to treat androgenetic alopecia [2].
why is it important to count platelets in prp
Since PRP works through the growth factors inside the platelets, the concentration of platelets in PRP is important. PRP preparation systems, however, give very different results for platelet concentration, leukocytes and growth factors. Moreover, each clinical field or application should choose the most appropriate type of PRP for each treatment [1].
Treatments often report a “times” concentration factor for platelets. For example, a “5× concentration” in a patient with a baseline platelet count of 200 plt/nL is significantly different to a “5× concentration” in a patient with a baseline platelet count of 350 plt/nL. The actual platelet concentration, injected volume and total number of platelets delivered to a region may affect efficacy, these three should be documented when reporting results of treatment outcomes for scientific purposes [4].
The PC100 can be used right where PRP is being made, and enables clinicians to know the concentration to be used for the treatment.
ANALYTICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PC100 FOR PLATELET COUNT IN PRP PLATELET RICH PLASMA
Platelet count in PRP resulted in a median difference of 1.42% between the PC100 platelet counter and the reference method, Sysmex® XP-300. While the difference between two methods increased with concentration of platelets in PRP, a strong linear relationship remained throughout the whole measuring interval indicated by the high correlation coefficient (r = 0.99). Assessment of the predicted bias at predefined platelet counts showed that the bias in platelet counts falls within the acceptance criterion for both whole blood and PRP measurements.
PC100™ PLATELET COUNTER
The PC100 Platelet Counter is a highly portable point-of-care device that accurately counts cells (platelets / thrombocytes) typically within 8 – 15 minutes.
The automatic cell counter for thrombocytes or platelets is able to accurately count platelet concentrations in whole blood and in Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).
The platelet counter is a device which removes the need to count thrombocytes manually and is a cost effective, small and a flexible alternative to flowcytometers for platelet counts. All parts that come into contact with blood are disposable – no contamination, no cleaning time.
FAST
Platelet count results within 15 minutes.
ACCURATE
Highly accurate from 20μl of blood or 10μl of PRP. Medically validated by Maastricht University Hospital.
EASY TO OPERATE
The device uses disposable counting slides making it is fast, clean and accurate.
COUNTS LOW TO HIGH
It counts platelets in whole blood within the range [20-600] platelets per nl and [250-3600] in PRP.
Sources
[1] Oudelaar BW, Peerbooms JC, Huis in ‘t Veld R, Vochteloo AJH. Concentrations of Blood Components in Commercial Platelet-Rich Plasma Separation Systems: A Review of the Literature. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;47(2). doi:10.1177/0363546517746112
[2] Roohaninasab M, Goodarzi A, Ghassemi M, Sadeghzadeh-Bazargan A, Behrangi E, Najar Nobari N. Systematic review of platelet-rich plasma in treating alopecia: Focusing on efficacy, safety, and therapeutic durability. Dermatol Ther. 2021;34(2). doi:10.1111/dth.14768
[3] Gentile P, Garcovich S. Systematic review—the potential implications of different platelet-rich plasma (Prp) concentrations in regenerative medicine for tissue repair. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(16). doi:10.3390/ijms21165702
[4] Mautner K, Malanga GA, Smith J, et al. A Call for a Standard Classification System for Future Biologic Research: The Rationale for New PRP Nomenclature. PM and R. 2015;7(4). doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.02.005