Factor predicting total nucleated cell counts in cord blood units.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Transplant Medicine

Background:

• Cord blood (CB) stem cells are vital in transplant medicine for treating diverse diseases.
• The efficacy of stem cells from umbilical cord blood (UCB) is closely linked to the total nucleated cell (TNC) count.
• Optimizing stem cell use requires understanding factors influencing TNC counts in UCB units.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key variables that predict the total nucleated cell (TNC) count in cord blood units (CBUs).
• To enhance the clinical utility of stem cells by refining criteria for UCB donation and banking.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study involving 957 cord blood units (CBUs) collected between 2012 and 2014.
• Statistical analysis correlating accepted TNC levels with maternal and infant factors.
• Evaluation of 16 potential predictive variables for TNC count.

Main Results:

• 19.64% of collected CBUs were rejected due to not meeting accepted TNC levels for banking.
• Cord blood volume emerged as the strongest predictor of accepted TNC levels (p≤0.0001).
• Newborn birth weight (p=0.025) and method of delivery (p=0.002) also showed statistically significant predictive value.

Conclusions:

• Maternal, neonatal, and obstetric factors significantly influence TNC counts in cord blood.
• These predictive factors can be utilized to improve the selection criteria for stem cell donation from CBUs.
• Refined criteria will enhance the quality and clinical applicability of banked cord blood stem cells.