Variability in CD34+cell counts in umbilical cord blood: Implications for cord blood transplants

Objective: To determine if total nucleated cell counts alone are sufficient for predicting the efficacy of cord blood units for transplant from neonat al umbilical cord blood samples. Methods: Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 200 mothers at de livery and the cord blood units processed, The total nucleated cells and CD 34+ cells were enumerated and compared for each sample. Results: Despite an apparent linear correlation between total nucleated cel l counts and CD34+ cell counts, each group of total nucleated cell counts d emonstrated a high degree of variation in CD34+ cell counts and could be as low as 0.1% of total nucleated cell counts. Conclusions: Large variations in CD34+ cell counts per total nucleated cell count are present for cord blood units from neonatal umbilical cord sample s. Hence a CD34+ cell count for each cord blood unit would improve selectio n of samples for transplant. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.