What blood type is the universal donor for platelets?

[Shan Xue]

i saw conflicting information on the internet on the unverisal donor for platelets. some website say it is type A and some website say it is type AB. which is correct?


Type A donors are especially valuable since they are the "Universal Donor" for platelets. AB donors are universal donors for plasma.

http://www.newenglandblood.org/giving/apheresis.htm


What is the universal donor blood type?
For red cells, type O negative (which occurs in about 7 percent of the U.S. population) is the universal donor type and can be given to any other blood type. AB positive (which occurs in only 3 percent of the U.S. population) is the universal red cell recipient type and can receive any type of red cell blood. For platelets and plasma, both AB positive and negative are the universal donor types and can be given to any other blood type. Types O positive and negative are the universal recipient types and can receive any type of platelets or plasma.

http://www.utahblood.org/facts/frequently.htm


If your blood type is AB+ or AB-,
you are a Universal Platelet Donor!

This means your platelets can be given to anyone in an emergency. (Type O- is the Universal Donor for whole blood donations.)
http://chapters.redcross.org/br/centralplains/aphabdonors.htm

[dottye]

i saw conflicting information on the internet on the unverisal donor for platelets. some website say it is type A and some website say it is type AB. which is correct?


Type A donors are especially valuable since they are the "Universal Donor" for platelets. AB donors are universal donors for plasma.

http://www.newenglandblood.org/giving/apheresis.htm


What is the universal donor blood type?
For red cells, type O negative (which occurs in about 7 percent of the U.S. population) is the universal donor type and can be given to any other blood type. AB positive (which occurs in only 3 percent of the U.S. population) is the universal red cell recipient type and can receive any type of red cell blood. For platelets and plasma, both AB positive and negative are the universal donor types and can be given to any other blood type. Types O positive and negative are the universal recipient types and can receive any type of platelets or plasma.

http://www.utahblood.org/facts/frequently.htm


If your blood type is AB+ or AB-,
you are a Universal Platelet Donor!

This means your platelets can be given to anyone in an emergency. (Type O- is the Universal Donor for whole blood donations.)
http://chapters.redcross.org/br/centralplains/aphabdonors.htm


Actually, what they say are all correct. You have to read carefully - they are saying different blood types are universal donors for DIFFERENT products.

1] AB are universal donors for Platelets and Plasma.
2] O are universal donors for Red Blood Cells
3] AB are universal recipients for Red Blood Cells
4] O are the universal recipients for platelets or plasma.

All these are generally speaking. If you want to include the rhesus positive and negative of each blood type, the status above would be slightly different.

[Shan Xue]

doesn't this statement contradicts which type is the universal platelet donor?


Type A donors are especially valuable since they are the "Universal Donor" for platelets.

[dottye]

I think for that statement it's a typo error. Should be AB and not A.

[peilee]

Hi, I don't think there's a typo mistake in the saying that A-type platelet is the universal platelet donor. Rather, there's a slight trick in understanding the ABH expression in blood. These links might serve useful in understanding.

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/full/105/8/3008#REF2

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/full/105/8/3356


Neither group O or AB platelets can be used universally since the transfusion of group AB to patients with anti-A or anti-B results in decreased platelet recovery and survival,1 (http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/full/105/8/3008#REF1),2 (http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/full/105/8/3008#REF2) and group O platelets contain 200 to 400 mL of plasma with anti-A and -B, which may hemolyse group A and B RBCs.


The A antigen on A1 and A2 RBCs is the same but the antigen density differs: it's lower on A2 RBCs.


Since platelet components for group A2 donors contain anti-B, they are not truly universal platelets but they can be transfused to both group A and O patients. Approximately 45% of US blood donors are group O and 40% are group A, so A2 platelet components are compatible with approximately 85% of patients.

According to the above, A2 platelets is considered "universal" since it is compatible with 85% of the patients, but bare in mind this is the case for US.