The transfusion of HLA-matched platelets to thrombocytopenic patients resistant to random donor platelets.

Histocompatibility (HLA) matched platelet concentrates, harvested from voluntary donors by plateletpheresis using blood cell separators, were used in the treatment of 14 thrombocytopenic patients who had become unresponsive to the transfusion of random platelet concentrates. In all patients bleeding stopped. Platelet concentrates contained a mean of 3.56 X 10(11) platelets/l. The average increase in platelet count was 33 X 10(9)/l. The use of HLA matched platelet transfusions should be considered in bleeding thrombocytopenic patients refractory to the transfusion of random platelets.