Factors affecting engraftment time in autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation

Rapid hematological engraftment at autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (APSCT) is a significant factor in reduction of early transplant-related complications and costs. For this reason, it is important to determine influences on hematological recovery.

This study was designed to evaluate factors affecting leukocyte and platelet engraftment times after high dose chemotherapy following APSCT. A total of 228 patients (131 males and 97 females) were enrolled.

There were statistically significant differences between patients with CD34+ cell doses ≥ 2.5 x 10⁶/kg (n=180) and < 2.5 x 10⁶/kg (n=48), regarding leukocyte engraftment at 11 and 12 days, respectively (p<0.02), between G-CSF (n=167) and GM-CSF (n=61) posttransplant regarding median leukocyte engraftment times (p=0.005), and between with (n=75) or without (n=153) history of pretransplant radiotherapy for both leukocyte and platelet engraftment times (p<0.001).

For leukocyte engraftment, a history of pretransplant radiotherapy, type of growth factor used and number of CD34+ cells infused, and for platelet engraftment, a history of pretransplant radiotherapy were found to be independent variables on multivariate analysis with the Cox regression method.