Hydroxyethyl starch and prednisone as adjuncts to granulocyte collection

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Transfusion Medicine
• Oncology Support

Background:

• Granulocytopenic recipients with infections often require granulocyte transfusions.
• Continuous flow centrifugation (CFC) is used for granulocyte collection.
• Optimizing granulocyte yield is crucial for therapeutic efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of pharmacological pretreatment in enhancing granulocyte collection via CFC.
• To assess the safety and effectiveness of granulocyte transfusions in infected granulocytopenic patients.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 232 leukaphereses using CFC from 89 donors.
• Compared control group (no pretreatment) with a pretreatment group (Prednisone and/or hydroxyethyl starch).
• Processed a median of 9.2 liters of donor blood per run.

Main Results:

• Prednisone plus hydroxyethyl starch significantly increased granulocyte yield compared to controls.
• Leukapheresis procedures and pretreatments were well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects.
• Granulocyte transfusions were effective in short-term fever control for non-responding patients.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacological pretreatment with Prednisone and HES is a safe and effective method to improve granulocyte collection.
• Enhanced granulocyte collection can improve therapeutic outcomes for infected granulocytopenic patients.
• This strategy offers a valuable option for managing infections in immunocompromised individuals.