Combined peripheral blood monocyte count and white blood cell count as a guide for successful one-day autologous peripheral blood stem cell collection.

Introduction: Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are the most common source of stem cell transplantation, which depends on an adequate number of CD34+ cells. Although pre-apheresis CD34+ cell count is a standard guide for the collection, it is not always available. This study aimed to evaluate complete blood count parameters for predicting successful one-day autologous PBSC collection.

Methods: Data from the patients who underwent autologous PBSC collection at a tertiary care hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: There were 123 patients (185 leukapheresis procedures). Successful PBSC collection (CD34+ cells ≥4.0 × 10 cells/kg) was obtained in 85 patients (69.1%), of which 55 (44.7%) were successfully obtained on the first day. The median CD34+ collection efficiency was 44.1%. The mean platelet loss during apheresis was 39.9%. The adverse event rate was 18.9%. Patients in whom PBSCs were collected within one day were less likely to experience adverse effects related to leukapheresis. Pre-apheresis CD34+ cells ≥10 cells/μLand combined white blood cell (WBC) counts ≥5 × 10/L and/or monocyte ≥10% were independently associated with the successful one-day PBSC collection (adjusted odds ratio 24.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.30-109.10, p < 0.001; and 6.94, 95% CI 1.35-35.79, p = 0.021, respectively). Only pre-apheresis CD34+ cells had a strong correlation with the total stem cell yield.

Conclusions: To reduce the complication of leukapheresis, the combined pre-apheresis WBC ≥5 × 10/L and/or monocyte ≥10% is a practical parameter to initiate a successfully one-day PBSC collection with or without pre-apheresis CD34+ cell results.