Granulocyte transfusion therapy in children.

A prospective study of 45 granulocyte transfusions in children using continuous flow centrifugation is reported. During 13 episodes of proven or presumed infection, only two children failed to show a favorable response to granulocyte transfusion. The neutropenic child shows a significantly increased absolute granulocyte count one hour after transfusion. The granulocyte counts at one hour after transfusion are inversely proportional to the child's size. A child with chronic granulomatous disease who had documented Nocardia asteroides sepsis and pneumonia exhibited complete recovery following granulocyte transfusion. Dramatic responses to the nonrandom use of granulocyte transfusion have been observed in children with major gram-negative bacterial infections. Endorsement of granulocyte transfusion for instances of presumed, but unproven, infection in the neutropenic child will require randomization to control the variables of antibiotic therapy and bone marrow remission.