The Optimal Time of Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cell Collection for Autologous Transplantation May Be Predicted By Immature Granulocytes and Nucleated Red Blood Cells

The time of initiating stem cell collection is very important for successful transplantation and is determined according to peripheral blood CD34+ cell count analysed by flow cytometry. In this study, we aimed to find the role of new complete blood count parameters to determine the optimal time of stem cell collection. Eighty-six patients who underwent stem cell mobilization were included in the study. Peripheral blood CD34+ cells and complete blood count were analysed on the same day. Patients with peripheral blood CD 34+ cell counts ≤ 20/μL and > 20/μL were determined as Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. The difference of CBC parameters between 2 groups and the relationship of these parameters with peripheral blood CD34+ cell counts were evaluated. It was found that immature granulocytes ratio, nucleated red blood cells ratio and count were positively correlated with peripheral blood CD34+ cell count and these parameters were significantly different between two groups (P< 0.001, P= 0.011 and P= 0.012, respectively). The new index formulated by using immature granulocytes and nucleated red blood cells ratios was significantly different between two groups (P<0.001), and had the highest diagnostic accuracy to determine the time of stem cell collection (AUC= 0.766). Immature granulocytes and nucleated red blood cells can be used to determine the time of peripheral blood stem cell collection faster and cheaper compared to flow cytometry.