Prospect of Utilizing Expired Homologous Platelet Concentrates as an Alternative Source of Growth Factors and Cytokines in Clinical Setup for Better Wound Care and Healing

The study investigates the potential of using expired homologous platelet concentrates to produce human platelet lysate (hPL) as a source of growth factors and cytokines for improved wound care and healing. By preparing hPL through freeze-thaw cycles, the research compared the growth factor content of fresh and stored hPL (up to 6 months) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The study involved patients with 2° burn injuries and compared the effects of hPL treatment to the standard 1% silver sulfadiazine (SSD) treatment. Results demonstrated that the concentration of growth factors in stored hPL remained stable, and burn healing was more effective with hPL than with SSD after 3 weeks. These findings suggest that hPL from expired platelet concentrates is a viable source of biological factors for regenerative medicine, offering a way to reduce waste of human resources.