Efficacy of granulocyte transfusions collected from nonstimulated donors

Series of leukocyte transfusions were given to adult patients with previously untreated acute non-lymphocytic leukemia during the granulocytopenic phase of remission induction therapy with doxorubicin and cytosine arabinoside. Peripheral blood leukocytes for transfusion were obtained by continuous flow centrifugation from unstimulated normal persons. Forty-five consecutive patients were eligible to receive leukocyte transfusions depending upon the availability of the blood cell separator for leukapheresis of donors and, to a lesser extent, clinical need. A series of leukocyte transfusions was given to 28 patients; 17 patients did not receive leukocyte transfusions. Patients in both groups were similar with respect to variables known to have prognostic value. The clinical outcomes of the patients in both series were similar. Fifteen of the 28 patients receiving leukocyte transfusions had a temperature response detected by cumulative summation. Fourteen of these patients also had other evidence of clinical improvement compared with only five of ten patients not demonstrating a temperature response during a series of leukocyte transfusions 0.50 greater than P 0.025). This study suggests that leukocyte transfusions from unstimulated normal donors are effective in the management of patients with potentially reversible granulocytopenia.