Peripheral blood stem cell apheresis for allogeneic transplants: Ibni Sina experience

The rate of utilizing peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) as a source for allogeneic stem cells is growing rapidly. We aimed to demonstrate our 4 years experience as the largest apheresis center in Turkey and analyzed the content of the apheresis material.

From 1998 to the end of April 2002, 151 leukopheresis procedures were performed on 116 healthy donors (M/F:66/50) with a median age of 30 years (14-53). The HLA identical sibling donors received rhG-CSF 10 microg/kg/day sc. for 4 days and at the 5th day leukopheresis was started until collecting >4 x 10e6/kg CD34+ cells. Two times the donors' total blood volume was processed in 195 min (178-245) on continuous flow cell separators using peripheral venous access.

Preapheresis WBC was 51.5 x 10e9/L (range, 13.11-91.3). Mono nuclear cell, CD34 and CD3 quantity of the harvest material were 5.35 x 10e8/kg (range, 0.45-23.46), 6.4 x 10e6/kg (range, 2.49-33.27) and 2.79 x 10e8/kg (range, 0.46-30.95), respectively. We were able to reach the target CD34 count after 1st cycle in 39% and 2nd cycle 61% of the procedures. In all donors with a peripheral blood CD34 count >80/mcl we succeeded to collect enough stem cells with only one leukopheresis.

Collection of peripheral blood stem cells with continuous flow cell separators is well tolerated, with no mobilization failures or poor mobilizers. We collected high values of CD34+ cells (med. 6.4 x 10e6/kg) at the expense of high CD3+lymphocytes (med. 2.79 x 10e8/kg), which may increase the risk of acute and chronic GVHD after allogeneic hemapoietic cell transplantation.