EVALUATION OF THE FRESENIUS CELL SEPARATOR AS-104 FOR HARVESTING PERIPHERAL-BLOOD STEM-CELLS IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS

In a single institution trial we carried out 35 peripheral blood stem cell harvesting procedures in 12 children with advanced malignancies t o evaluate the procedure's safety and the collection efficiency of the Fresenius blood cell separator AS 104 in a pediatric population. Desp ite a significant mean decrease of 21% (+/-8%) in systolic blood press ure after starting the procedure, all children tolerated leukapheresis without any adverse reaction. After termination of leukapheresis ther e was a significant decrease of all determined hematological parameter s, as compared with pre-harvest values. The mean mononuclear cell reco very was 64% (+/-26%), and in 25/35 (71%) harvesting procedures the mi nimum progenitor number required for safe autografting could be obtain ed by one single leukapheresis. We conclude that the Fresenius AS 104 blood cell separator provides a high cell yield and is a safe device f or leukapheresis in pediatric patients.