Short term storage stability at room temperature of two different platelet-rich plasma preparations from equine donors and potential impact on growth factor concentrations.
Authors: Hauschild Gregor, Geburek Florian, Gosheger Georg, Eveslage Maria, Serrano Daniela, Streitbürger Arne, Johannlükens Sara, Menzel Dirk, Mischke Reinhard
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies in equine practice remain hampered by significant gaps in standardised handling protocols, particularly regarding storage and stability of bioactive compounds. Researchers compared two commonly used preparation methods—a pure-PRP system (P-PRP/ACP®) using soft-spin centrifugation and a leukocyte-rich system (L-PRP/E-PET) employing gravity filtration—by measuring concentrations of two critical growth factors (PDGF-BB and TGF-β1) over six hours at room temperature in equine samples. The two preparations demonstrated notably different stability profiles for growth factor retention, with implications for how clinicians might store and deploy these products in practice. These findings matter because they directly address whether PRP can be prepared in advance and transported to clinical sites, or whether point-of-care preparation remains essential—a distinction with significant practical and economic consequences for routine equine therapy protocols. Understanding the stability characteristics of each system enables more informed decision-making about which preparation method suits different clinical applications and timelines.
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Practical Takeaways
- •PRP preparations may not maintain stable growth factor concentrations at room temperature for extended periods—this affects timing of administration after preparation.
- •Choice of PRP preparation method (single-step vs. gravity filtration) impacts storage stability and growth factor preservation, which should inform clinical protocol selection.
- •If flexible delayed application of PRP is desired, refrigeration or alternative storage conditions may be necessary rather than relying on room temperature storage.
Key Findings
- •Both P-PRP (ACP®) and L-PRP (E-PET) preparations demonstrated measurable changes in PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 concentrations over a 6-hour room temperature storage period.
- •Storage stability and growth factor retention differed between the two PRP preparation methods, suggesting preparation technique influences shelf-life potential.
- •Room temperature storage of processed platelet-rich products showed time-dependent changes in bioactive growth factor concentrations within the 6-hour observation window.