Adverse reactions during transfusion of thawed haematopoietic progenitor cells from apheresis are closely related to the number of granulocyte cells in the leukapheresis product.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The infusion of thawed haematopoietic progenitor cells from apheresis (HPC-A) is associated with minor but frequent adverse reactions (ARs), which has been mainly attributed to dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). Nevertheless, other factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of such toxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ARs on a cohort of 423 cryopreserved HPC-A infusions for 398 patients in HPC transplantation program were analysed.

RESULTS

ARs were reported in 105 graft infusions (24·8%) and most of them were graded as mild to moderate. The most frequently reported ARs were gastrointestinal and respiratory, and three patients presented epileptic seizure. The volume of DMSO/kg (P < 0·001), volume of red-blood-cells/kg (P = 0·02), number of nuclear cells (NCs)/kg (P <0·001) and number of granulocytes/kg (P<0·001) in the infused graft were significant in the univariate analysis for the occurrence of ARs. The amount of granulocytes/kg remained significant in the multivariate analysis (P<0·001). The grade of ARs also correlated with the amount of cryopreserved granulocytes.

CONCLUSION

The incidence and grade of ARs during infusion of cryopreserved HPC-A are related to the amount of granulocytes in the graft.