PROSPECTIVE, CONCURRENT COMPARISON OF THE COBE SPECTRA AND HEMONETICSMCS-3P CELL SEPARATORS FOR LEUKAPHERESIS AFTER HIGH-DOSE FILGRASTIM IN PATIENTS WITH HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES

A prospective study was undertaken to compare the mononuclear cell, CD 34+ cell, and CFU-GM yields of the Haemonetics MCS-3P and the Cobe Spe ctra cell separators in ten patients (nine multiple myeloma and one no n-Hodgkin lymphoma) on two consecutive days after mobilization with hi gh-dose filgrastim (12-16 mu g/k) for 4 days. All patients were harves ted once on each machine, five starting on each machine. The target du ration of the procedure on the Spectra was 160 minutes, and the target blood volume processed on the MCS-3P was 60-70 ml/kg body weight. Bot h machines were operating on the 1995 software versions supplied by th e respective manufacturers. The time taken for the procedure was signi ficantly longer with the Haemonetics machine. The volumes of blood pro cessed and the product collected were significantly higher with the Sp ectra, as were the absolute mononuclear and CD34+ cell yields, and yie lds per unit time. Mononuclear and CD34+ cell yields per unit volume o f blood processed were comparable for both machines. The differences i n CFU-GM yields were not significant, largely because of wide interpat ient variations. The extent of platelet depletion as a result of the p rocedure was greater with the Spectra because of the higher blood volu me being processed. We conclude that the Cobe Spectra is a significant ly faster machine than the Haemonetics MCS-3P: and consequently, its u se is associated with higher mononuclear and CD34+ cell yields. (C) 19 97 Wiley-Liss, Inc.