THE SPARING EFFECT OF HEPARIN ANTICOAGULANT ON PLATELETS IN STORED BLOOD

The platelet counts were carried out on one hundred and fifty-(150) blood samples stored in six different types of anticoagulants at 4°C. The samples were apparently healthy volunteers at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu aged between 19 and 40yrs. The ratio of male to female was 7:3 The anticoagulants used were dipotassium ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (K₂EDTA), sodium flouride (NaF), heparin, sodium citrate (NaC), citrate phosphate dextrose-adenine (CPD -A) and acid citrate dextrose (ACD). The platelet counts were carried out daily for four consecutive days (days 0 - 3) in each of the anticoagulant using an automatic Particle Counter (PCE - 90) of the ERMA PCE series (ERMA INC. TOKYO Japan). The mean values obtained were recorded and statistically tested. There were reductions in the platelet counts in the blood samples stored in all the six anticoagulants. These reductions became more significant as the storage period increased. The greatest effect was observed in the samples stored in sodium fluoride. The highest number of platelets was obtained from heparinised blood. Suggesting that heparin has a sparing effect on platelet number. It is recommended that whenever platelet count cannot be performed within the usual two hours of blood collection, heparin could be used to store the blood. However, it is important that platelet counts should always be performed on the same day of sample collection.