COLLECTION OF PLATELETS AND PERIPHERAL PROGENITOR CELLS WITH THE FRESENIUS AS.TEC-204 BLOOD-CELL SEPARATOR

The aim of the present study was to clinically evaluate the blood cell separator AS.TEC 204. One hundred fifteen platelet collections were c arried out with the dual or single needle procedure. Platelet yield wa s 3.21 +/- 0.80 x 10(11) (mean +/- standard deviation) and 59.1% of th e collections showed platelet counts greater than or equal to 3.0 x 10 (11). Leukocyte contamination was 1.77 +/- 2.81 x 10(6) and 89.0% of t he platelet concentrates had a white blood cell content <5 x 10(6). Us ing a dual needle technique with an alternating interface adjustment, all of the products were contaminated with less than 1 x 10(6) leukocy tes. Furthermore, 23 peripheral progenitor cell collections were perfo rmed in 12 patients and three allogeneic donors. Median numbers of har vested CD 34 antigen expressing cells/kg body weight were 0.78 (range 0-4.7) and 3.67 x 10(6) (range 2.2-5.23), respectively. We conclude th at platelet and progenitor cell collections can be carried out with ef ficient results. The collections were well tolerated by the donors. (C ) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.