[6][7] Some versions of platelets have had the white blood cells partially removed or been gamma irradiated which have specific benefits for certain populations.

[14] A review in people with blood cancers receiving intensive chemotherapy or a stem cell transplant found that overall giving platelet transfusions when the platelet count is less than 10 x 109/L reduced the number of bleeding events and days with significant bleeding.

[13] There is little evidence for the use of preventive platelet transfusions in people with chronic bone marrow failure, such as myelodysplasia or aplastic anemia.

[16] Multiple guidelines recommend prophylactic platelet transfusions are not used routinely in people with chronic bone marrow failure, and instead an individualised approach should be taken.

This study's authors suggested that a high-dose platelet transfusion strategy may lead to a higher rate of transfusion-related adverse events.

[10][13] The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of platelet transfusions prior to surgery for people with a low platelet count on the all-cause mortality, the number of participants with bleeding events after surgery, serious surgery-related or transfusion-related adverse events.

[23] Guidelines recommend that it is safe to perform central venous catheter insertion when the platelet count is 20 x 109/L or above.

[10][13][11] Platelet transfusion may be indicated for patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage to reverse aspirin effect if they require emergency neurosurgery, but not if they are managed without surgery.

[29][28][30] Unlike other blood products demand for platelet transfusions appears to be increasing in several countries around the world.

[1] Platelet components can have had the white blood cells partially removed (leucodepleted) which decreases the risk of having a transfusion reaction.

[34] They can be gamma irradiated which have specific benefits for certain populations (those at risk of transfusion-associated graft versus host disease).