Long-term hematologic reconstitution after autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation: a comparison between controlled-rate freezing and uncontrolled-rate freezing at 80 degrees C.
BACKGROUND
The most widely used system for peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) cryopreservation is controlled-rate freezing (CRF). Uncontrolled-rate freezing (URF) at -80 degrees C has also been used, but its clinical impact has not been studied sufficiently yet.


METHODS
Two groups of patients were compared: Group A consisted of 69 patients autotransplanted with PBPCs cryopreserved with CRF; Group B consisted of 192 patients autotransplanted with PBPCs cryopreserved with URF at -80 degrees C. The same cryoprotectant solution and storage system were used.


RESULTS
A significant delay of hematologic reconstitution (HR) in the URF group was observed for neutrophils greater than 0.5 x 10(9) per L and for platelets greater than 20 x 10(9) per L and greater than 50 x 10(9) per L; we did not observe any differences in the clinical course. The long-term HR was comparable in the two groups, all patients showed stable engraftment, and no late graft failures were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirms that URF is safe and allows sustained long-term engraftment without increasing the risks of transplantation, even though the early engraftment after URF is slower.
Montanari
Mauro
M
Department of Haematology, University of Ancona, Torrette Hospital, Italy. m.montanari@ao-umbertoprimo.marche.it
Capelli
Debora
D
Poloni
Antonella
A
Massidda
Danilo
D
Brunori
Marino
M
Spitaleri
Luca
L
Offidani
Massimo
M
Lucesole
Moira
M
Masia
Maria C
MC
Balducci
Florinda
F
Refe
Cristina
C
Piani
Mario
M
Leoni
Pietro
P
Olivieri
Attilio
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001793:Blood Preservation; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous