(P-BC-14) Comparative Analysis of Platelet Concentrates Obtained by Apheresis with Amicus and Amicore Equipment in a Hemotherapy Service in Central-West Brazil

Background/Case Studies: In Brazil, the high cost of hemotherapy often limits equitable access for patients in the public health system, making the routine use of apheresis-derived platelets unfeasible without compromising the availability of random units. The increasing demand for platelets—driven by chronic and oncologic diseases—requires technological improvements that optimize apheresis collection, balancing quality and operational cost. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of Amicus and Amicore (Fresenius Kabi) devices in producing platelet concentrates that meet established quality standards, while ensuring operational feasibility.

Study

Design/Methods: Between March 2024 and March 2025, a total of 278 plateletpheresis procedures were performed at a hemotherapy service in Central-West Brazil: 95 with the Amicus and 213 with the Amicore. All donors were regular volunteers with a body surface area ≥ 1.7 m² and platelet count > 200,000/μL, screened according to Brazilian legislation. Quality criteria included volume ≥ 400 mL, platelet count ≥ 6 × 10¹¹ per unit, pH > 6.2, and residual leukocytes < 5 × 10⁶ per unit. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals, Pearson correlation, and linear regression.

Results/Findings: Amicore achieved a 69.5% compliance rate. The mean volume collected was 495.4 mL (95% CI: 493.6–497.1), the mean platelet count was 6.3 × 10¹¹ (95% CI: 6.2–6.4), mean pH was 7.08 (95% CI: 7.06–7.10), and leukocyte count averaged 0.46 × 10⁶ (95% CI: 0.21–0.72). A strong correlation was found between volume and platelet yield (r = 0.834; p < 0.001; R² = 0.695), showing that volume explained about 70% of yield variability. Each additional mL collected was associated with an increase of 0.0121 × 10¹¹ platelets.

Amicus showed a 66.3% compliance rate. The average volume was 493.1 mL (95% CI: 489.8–496.4), mean platelet count was 6.1 × 10¹¹ (95% CI: 6.0–6.3), pH was 7.07 (95% CI: 7.04–7.11), and leukocyte count was higher and more variable, averaging 1.55 × 10⁶ (95% CI: 0.26–2.85). The correlation between volume and platelet count was also significant (r = 0.675; p < 0.001; R² = 0.456), with a mean increase of 0.0118 × 10¹¹ per mL collected. No significant correlations were found between pH or leukocytes and the other variables.

Conclusions: The Amicore device demonstrated superior performance in quality compliance, leukoreduction, and predictability. The lower variability and higher reliability make it a more robust system. The correlation between volume and yield observed in both devices underscores the importance of optimizing collection protocols. Amicore’s regression model proved more effective, with volume explaining a larger portion of yield variation. These findings are relevant for services seeking cost-effective, high-quality transfusion strategies.