title: Comparison of two leukapheresis programs for computerized collection of blood progenitor cells on a new cell separator.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) can be collected on various cell separators. Two leukapheresis programs (LP-MNC and LP-PBSC-Lym) were evaluated for computerized collection of PBPCs on a new cell separator.
  
  
  METHODS
  Leukapheresis assisted by the LP-MNC or LP-PBSC-Lym software was performed for the harvesting of PBPCs in 52 oncology patients after chemotherapy plus G-CSF treatment and in 18 healthy subjects after G-CSF mobilization alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 38 components from 33 donors via LP-MNC and 43 components from 37 donors via LP-PBSC-Lym were collected with a median of one (range, one to two) standard-volume leukapheresis procedures (9.2-13.3 L) per donor. There were no significant differences between the two groups concerning median counts of WBCs, CD34+ cells, CD34+ cell yields per harvest, and CD34+ cell yields of cumulative harvests. The blood cell counts after leukapheresis revealed that the LP-MNC resulted in significantly higher platelet loss than LP-PBSC-Lym (p = 0.024): 35.9 percent (range, 19.2%-66.1%) versus 29.7 percent (11.6%-52.3%). Regarding the CD34+ cell collection efficiency, the LP-MNC program was significantly better than the LP-PBSC-Lym program (p < 0.001): 77.5 percent (range, 35.5%-98.9%) versus 58.3 percent (range, 20.4%-98.9%). However, concentrates collected by the LP-PBSC-Lym program had significantly higher percentages of MNCs (p < 0.001) and CD34+ cells (p = 0.028) than harvests with the LP-MNC program: 90 percent (range, 69%-99%) versus 70 percent (range, 35%-98%) and 1.2 percent (range, 0.2%-7.3%) versus 0.7 percent (range, 0.2%-6.0%), respectively. No leukapheresis-related serious adverse events were seen, and time for hematopoietic engraftment was equivalent to data published in the literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LP-MNC program shows a significantly better CD34+ cell collection efficiency than the LP-PBSC-Lym program. However, collections with the LP-MNC program result in PBPC components with a lower MNC and CD34+ cell concentrations and a higher apheresis-related loss of patient's platelets.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Phipps Marburg University Hospital, Germany. schwella@med.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schwella
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Movassaghi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheding
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahrens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salama
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D003201:Computers; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34