ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We have done a prospective randomized study to assess the effect of milk ingestion on ionized calcium level and can prevent hypocalcemia during single donor plateletpheresis. METHODS: Between August 2003 and September 2003, thirty single platelet donors who visited Apheresis Unit in St. Mary's Hospital were prospectively randomized into whether milk ingestion (experimental group, n=15) or not (control group, n=15) before apheresis. Plateletpheresis were performed using COBE Spectra LRS TM. Serum ionized calcium level and vital signs were monitored before, 30 minutes after, and completion of apheresis procedure. RESULTS: Vital signs(systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse) in each time were not significantly different between two groups. Ionized calcium level at finish time tends to elevate compared to those at after 30 minutes in Experimental group (1.08mmol/L at basal, 0.86mmol/L after 30min, 0.93mmol/L at finish time). But ionized calcium levels at finish time significantly decreased than those at baseline level in Control group(1.05mmol/L on basal, 0.91mmol/L after 30min, 0.73mmol/L at finish time)(p=0.0054). Ionized calcium levels at finish time were significantly increased in Experimental group compared to control group(p=0.002). CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that milk ingestion before apheresis can prevent the decrease of serum ionized calcium level and simple recommendation of milk ingestion can prevent hypocalcemia during plateletpheresis.