[Clinical use of hematopoietic growth factors--general principles]

Biology of haematopoietic growth factors in the process of haematopoiesis is well known, but their clinical utilization started with production of recombinant preparations. Today only preparations of Erythropoietin, GM-CSF and G-CSF are commercially at disposal. Absolute indications for utilization of haematopoietic growth factors are states caused by decreased production of certain classes of blood cells as a consequence of shortage of a growth factor necessary for production of a certain class. As these states are very rare, relative indications spread to other states characterized by a decreased number of blood cells or necessity for stimulation of haematopoiesis due to any other reason. This paper contains results of clinical researches only for those growth factors which are not commercially utilized.: M-CSF, Interleukin 3, PIXY321, SCF, Interleukin 6, Interleukin 11, Interleukin 1, Interleukin 2 and Thrombopoietin. Our institution utilizes only the preparations of Erythropoietin (Eprex) and G-CSF (Neuprogen) in 38 patients.