For several years people that donate granulocytes for transfusion have been given dexamethasone to increase the number of cells that can be collected. Recently, it has been recognized that treating granulocyte donors with single dose of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (C-CSF) alone or in combination with dexamethasone increases the number of cells collected two to five-fold. While G-CSF is becoming the standard agent for mobilizing granulocytes, its effects on donors are not clear. It is known that 4 to 5 daily doses of G-CSF induces several symptoms including bone pain, headache and fatigue; changes in blood chemistries including LDH, alkaline phosphatase, and potassium; and changes in blood counts including thrombocytopenia. In order to provide HLA compatible granulocytes for some patients, donors are often asked to donate granulocytes repeatedly. The purpose of this study is to determine how a single dose of G-CSF, dexamethasone or G-CSF plus dexamethasone and the collection of one granulocyte concentrate effects how donors feel, their blood chemistries and blood counts. In addition, the data obtained will be used to determine the minimum interval between each donation and the cells collected will be used to investigate the storage of G-CSF mobilized granulocytes concentrates.
| Lightfoot, T; Leitman, S F; Stroncek, D F (2000) Storage of G-CSF-mobilized granulocyte concentrates. Transfusion 40:1104-10 |
