Evaluation of a new protocol for peripheral blood stem cell collection with the Fresenius AS 104 cell separator

In this report we analyzed sixty leukapheresis procedures on 35 patients with a new protocol for the Fresenius AS 104. Yields and efficiencies for MNC, CD 34+ cells, and CFU-GM indicate that the new protocol is able to collect large quantities of hemopoietic progenitors. Procedures were performed processing 8.69 ± 2.8 liters of whole blood per apheresis and modifying 3 parameters: spillover-volume 7 ml, buffy-coat volume 11.5 ml, centrifuge speed 1,500 rpm; blood flow rate was 50 ml/min and the anticoagulant ratio was 1:12. No side effects were observed during apheresis procedures except for transient paresthesia episodes promptly resolved with the administration of calcium gluconate. Yields show a high capacity of the new program to collect on average MNC 17.28 ± 10.85 × 10⁹, CD 34+ 471 ± 553.5 × 10⁶ and CFU-GM 1278.7 ± 1346.3 × 10⁴ per procedure. Separator collection efficiency on average was 49.91 ± 23.28% for MNC, 55.1 ± 35.66% for CFU-GM, and 62.97 ± 23.09% for CD 34+ cells. Particularly interesting are results for MNC yields and CD 34+ efficiency; these results make the new program advantageous or similar to the most progressive blood cell separators and capable to collect a sufficient number of progenitor cells for a graft with a mean of 1.80 ± 0.98 procedures per patient. J. Clin. Apheresis 12:82–86, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.