title: Collection of MNCs and progenitor cells by two separators for PBPC transplantation: a randomized crossover trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Efficient collection of progenitor cells is essential for PBPC transplantation. Two apheresis machines (Amicus, Baxter Healthcare; and Spectra, Gambro BCT, software version 4.7) were compared prospectively by a crossover trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Apheresis collections were performed for two consecutive days on patients for autologous and donors for allogeneic PBPC transplantation. The patients and donors, receiving a G-CSF, were randomized into two groups. In Group I, PBPCs were collected by the Amicus on the 1st day and the Spectra on the 2nd day, and the reverse order was used with Group II. A total of 60 apheresis procedures of 30 (16 in Group I and 14 in Group II) among 40 patients and donors enrolled were performed and evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The nucleated cell counts, MNC counts, CD34+ PBPC counts, and amounts of CFU-GM collected per procedure were similar with the Amicus and the Spectra. On the other hand, the decrease of peripheral blood platelet counts of patients and donors was more prominent from using Spectra than Amicus (p < 0.0001). Components collected by the Amicus had fewer platelets than those collected by the Spectra (p < 0.0001). The efficiencies of collecting nucleated cells, MNCs, and CD34+ PBPCs were not different between the machines (p > 0.05). However, the efficiency of collecting platelets was significantly higher with Spectra than with Amicus (p < 0.0001). The Amicus took longer than the Spectra to process the same volume (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amicus is superior to Spectra in avoiding apheresis-induced thrombocytopenia caused by platelets contaminating the collected samples. Therefore, the Amicus is useful for patients with thrombocytopenia or with a less-than-normal platelet count.
authors.affiliation: Division of Blood Transfusion and Transplantation Immunology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukishima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohto
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shichishima
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maruyama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood