Postoperative Transfusions after Administration of Delayed Cold-stored Platelets versus Room Temperature Platelets in Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Delayed cold storage of room temperature platelets may extend shelf life from 5 to 14 days. The study hypothesized that the use of delayed cold-stored platelets in cardiac surgery would be associated with decreased postoperative platelet count increments but similar transfusion and clinical outcomes compared to room temperature-stored platelets.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study of adults transfused with platelets intraoperatively during elective cardiac surgery between April 2020 and May 2021.