The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Supply of Platelet Products in Provincial Blood Centers of China: A Multi-Center Retrospective Analysis

This study aims to retrospectively review how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the supply of platelet products (PLTs) in provincial blood centers in Chinese mainland. Data from 21 provincial centers covering 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. The median number of PLTs issued in 21 centers showed a consistent increase from 20 043 ATUs in 2017 to 31 340 ATUs in 2022. Blood centers were categorized into four groups based on the cumulative number of PLTs issued. Group 4, with the largest issuance scale, saw the most substantial decrease of 11.90% in 2020, while Group 1, with the smallest scale, experienced a substantial 9.66% decrease in 2022. From 2017 to 2019, most centers saw a steady increase in PLTs issuance, but the pandemic disrupted this trend. In 2020, 38.10% of the centers reported reduced issuance, with four centers experiencing reductions of over 10%, three of which were in Group 4. These reductions were mainly in eastern and central regions which were severely impacted by the pandemic. By 2021, 90.48% of the centers saw increased issuance. However, in 2022, 66.67% of the centers reported reductions, indicating ongoing pandemic effects on donation behaviors, with all centers experiencing reductions over 10% concentrated in Group 1. Apheresis platelets (APLTs) followed trends similar to overall PLTs, while whole blood-derived platelet concentrates (WBD-PLTs), issued by only 9 out of 21 centers, showed fluctuating trends. Despite their lower issuance, WBD-PLTs provided crucial supplementary support when the APLTs supply decreased. In conclusion, the study highlights significant variations in platelet products issuance influenced by the pandemic. Understanding these trends is essential for optimizing platelet supply strategies and addressing future challenges.