Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Mobilization and Collection in Pediatric Healthy Sibling Donors Weighing 20 Kilograms or Less; Algerian Experience

Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) are the source of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants currently used for malignant and non-malignant hematological diseases. PBSC harvest may be difficult in young children who are donors. Extracorporeal separator line priming by red blood cells or albumin alone is usually required to improve haemodynamic tolerance and efficacy of collection. We present our experience with 29 children weighing 20 kg or less mobilised between January 2005 and June 2018. The median age and weight at the time of apheresis were 5 years and 18 kg, respectively. A total of 54 PBSC were performed. The median cell yield per apheresis was 5.9 × 106 CD34+cells/kg (2,5-13,9) recipient body weight (RBW). Despite their low weight, insertion of a femoral catheter was avoided in 58.6% of children. Nineteen donors required 2 or 3 apheresis sessions without any major complication. Twenty-nine pts with hemopathies have successfully benefited from PBSC except one case of rejection with aplastic anemia.