Exercise-Mobilized Platelet-Rich Plasma: Short-Term Exercise Increases Stem Cell and Platelet Concentrations in Platelet-Rich Plasma

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of vigorous short-term exercise on the platelet and other cellular components of 2 point-of-care blood-processing devices: a buffy coat-based platelet-rich plasma (PRP) product and a plasma-based PRP product. Twenty healthy subjects (aged 21-45years) participated in a 20-minute vigorous exercise regimen on an upright stationary bike at 70% to 85% of maximum target heart rate. Pre- and post-exercise blood was processed in either a plasma-based or automated buffy coat-based PRP system. Complete blood counts were used to compare the cellular components in whole blood and the PRP products. Exercise significantly increased the concentrations of platelets by over 20% in whole blood (P < .001) and in both PRP products (P= .002 and P= .018). Both devices performed consistently with pre- and post-exercise blood. Buffy coat-based PRP prepared after exercise was also significantly larger in volume and had a significantly higher concentration of mobilized hematopoietic stem cells (hematopoietic progenitor cells [HPCs], from 1.7/μL to 2.7/μL, P= .043). The concentrations of all white blood cell types were increased, which could be differentially collected in the devices studied. Exercise can be used to consistently alter the composition of PRP. Twenty minutes of vigorous exercise can increase platelet concentrations in plasma-based and buffy coat-based PRP products and can increase HPC concentrations and volume in buffy coat-based PRP. This study shows a nonpharmacologic method to increase platelet and HPC harvests from peripheral blood. This is important because it highlights a method for altering biological therapies with limited comorbidity.