ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND. Bone union disorders of various kinds, of both iatrogenic and biological origin, are a common problem in the treatment of compound fractures. Impairment of bone regeneration often results from lack of biological potential for healing and lack of stimulation of osteogenesis at the site of bone loss. Bone union is stimulated by topical administration of a concentrate of platelet-derived growth factors. The aim of the study was to assess the concentration of platelet-derived growth factors in a concentrate before and after activation with a mixture of thrombin and calcium chloride. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised 30 samples of platelet-derived growth factor concentrates. Platelets were activated with CaCl 2 and 20 IU of thrombin. The resultant clot was incubated for 30 min at 37°C and then centrifuged again. The platelet count and PDGF AB, TGFß 1 , VEGF and IGF-1 concentrations were determined in each sample. The measurements were performed in accordance with recommended procedures. In the case of PDGF AB, the procedure was modified by changing the number of dilutions. A nonparametric test (Spearman rank correlation) was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS. The study showed that the platelet count in a PDGF concentrate was 6.27 times higher than in whole blood. PDGF AB concentration in the PDGF concentrate in our study increased 5-6 times after activation. Concentrations of other growth factors increased 1.2- to 2-fold after CaCl 2 - and thrombin-induced activation in comparison to whole blood levels. There were no statistically significant correlations between the platelet count and the concentration of particular growth factors. CONCLUSIONS. The study's findings showed that the method of obtaining a platelet-derived growth factor concentrate may be an effective method of obtaining a platelet-rich preparation with a high platelet count. The concentrations of the measured platelet-derived growth factors in the concentrate were several times higher than in whole blood samples.
