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Background: Plerixafor should be administered 6 to 11 hours before starting leukocytapheresis. However, we have been using plerixafor followed by leukocytapheresis according to different time schedules since 2007. Our objective was to compare the CD34+ cell collection efficiency (CE1) of the first leukocytapheresis performed after using plerixafor at different time intervals.Study Design and Methods: Same-day schedule refers to the administration of plerixafor at 10:00 AM and starting the leukocytapheresis on the same day at 4:00 PM (6 hours interval). Next-day schedule refers to the administration of plerixafor at 8:00 PM and starting the leukocytapheresis on the next day (10:00 AM or 4:00 PM; either a 14- or 20-hr interval). Variables that might influence the CE1 of CD34+ cells were analyzed by longitudinal linear regression with a random effects model derived by generalized estimating equations.Results: The median CE1 of CD34+ cells was higher in the group of 30 patients who underwent leukocytapheresis on the same day when compared with the group of 62 patients who underwent leukocytapheresis on the next day (65.8% vs. 56.7%; p < 0.01). In the longitudinal linear regression analysis, only the time from plerixafor administration to leukocytapheresis start was associated with a statistically significant decrease in the CE1 of CD34+ cells (CE1 change -0.034%; p < 0.01).Conclusion: Higher CE1 of CD34+ cells was observed when patients underwent leukocytapheresis on the same day after receiving plerixafor in comparison with administering plerixafor and underwent leukocytapheresis on the next day. Larger studies are necessary to confirm present results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been increasingly used as a second-line therapy for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) but there is no consensus regarding the best therapeutic schedule.Study Design and Methods: Our offline ECP schedule for treating patients with GVHD was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with acute GVHD were treated on 2 days per week for the first 2 weeks, followed by 1 day per week for 2 more weeks. After the first month of treatment, patients received treatment 1 day every 2 weeks for a minimum of 16 ECP procedures. Patients with chronic GVHD were treated on 1 day per week for 4 weeks followed by 1 day every 2 weeks for a minimum of 14 ECP procedures.Results: Our series comprises 21 (45%) patients with acute GVHD and 26 (55%) patients with chronic GVHD who received 667 ECP procedures. A median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 1.0 (1.0-1.12) total blood volume was processed. Patients with acute and chronic GVHD received ECP procedures during a median of 49 (IQR, 14-103) and 180 (IQR, 111-274) days, respectively. Mild citrate-induced symptoms were present in 98 (46%) and 232 (51%) procedures in patients with acute and chronic GVHD, respectively. Overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) were 57 and 38% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17%-59%), respectively, for patients with acute GVHD. For patients with chronic GVHD, ORR and OS were 77 and 61% (95% CI, 18%-87%), respectively.Conclusion: Our new offline ECP schedule for treating patients with acute and chronic GVHD was efficacious and safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The irradiation of red blood cells (RBCs) causes damage of the RBC membrane with increased potassium (K) leak during storage compared with nonirradiated RBC units of similar age. A previous in vitro study showed a mean reduction of K of 94 ± 5% with a potassium adsorption filter (PAF).Study Design and Methods: A prospective, single-center, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transfusing irradiated RBC units with the PAF. Patients 18 years of age or older who received irradiated RBC units due to chemotherapy-induced anemia were randomly assigned to receive irradiated RBC units with the PAF (PAF group) or with the standard blood infusion set (control group). Primary outcome measures were safety and efficacy of the PAF (absolute change in hemoglobin [Hb] and K, respectively, in patient's blood values after transfusing the irradiated RBC units with or without the PAF).Results: A total of 63 irradiated RBC units were transfused to 17 patients in the control group, and a total of 56 irradiated RBC units were transfused to 13 patients in the PAF group. The absolute change of Hb (9.3 ± 6.3 g/L vs. 8.1 ± 5.8 g/L; p = 0.3) and the absolute change of K (-0.01 ± 0.4 mmol/L vs. -0.01 ± 0.3 mmol/L; p = 0.2) were comparable between the two groups of the trial.Conclusion: The transfusion of 1 irradiated RBC unit with the PAF was as safe and efficacious as the transfusion of 1 irradiated RBC unit with the standard blood infusion set in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]