Single-donor granulocyte transfusions for improving the outcome of high-risk pediatric patients with known bacterial and fungal infections undergoing stem cell transplantation: a 10-year single-center experience.

Bacterial and fungal infections remain a significant cause of transplant-related mortality following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Granulocyte transfusions (GTs) may reduce the neutropenic period after SCT and prevent further progression of the existing infection (that is, therapeutic GT) in addition to standard antibacterial and antifungal therapy. A retrospective analysis was performed on 28 consecutive pediatric SCT recipients who received at least one dose of GT between March 2003 and November 2013 at a single institution. All donors were conditioned with G-CSF+dexamethasone with harvest performed 12-18 h later. Indications for SCT were acute leukemia in 46% (13/28) and severe aplastic anemia in 21% (6/28). The main indications for GT were invasive fungal disease in 50%, bacterial infection in 21% and co-morbidities with predicted reduced tolerance to sepsis in 18% (5/28). The median number of GT was 6 (range 1-14) with a median dose of 3.56 × 10(10) granulocytes infused. The median increment in ANC was 1.06 × 10(9)/L and correlated with the granulocyte dose infused. Adverse reactions observed were mild and infrequent. Sixty-four percent of patients (18/28) are alive with only 2 of the 10 deaths being related to progression of infection. In addition there was a low overall incidence of grade 3-4 acute mucositis and a very low incidence (7%) of acute GvHD grade 3-4. Single-donor GTs afford protection to children undergoing SCT at additional risk of infection and may reduce the overall incidence of severe GvHD.