Characterization and functional analysis of granulocyte concentrates collected from donors after repeated G-CSF stimulation.

Background: Neutropenic patients often develop bacterial or fungal infections not responding to broad-spectrum antibacterial or antifungal agents. Clinical efforts were made with transfusion of granulocyte concentrates; however, functions of granulocytes after multiple G-CSF stimulations and after apheresis are not yet investigated and described sufficiently.

Study Design And Methods: The aim of this study was to characterize functional and immunologic variables of granulocytes in blood samples drawn from donors before and after each stimulation episode with G-CSF, in the resulting granulocyte concentrates and in the patients 8 hours after transfusion.