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Pulmonary micro-embolism in a healthy donor following G-CSF administration for mobilization of hemopoietic progenitor cells

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 308–310 (2012)Cite this article

G-CSF is a haematopoietic growth factor that stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of neutrophil precursor cells. G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood cells collected by apheresis as a source of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC-A) are increasingly employed for allogenic transplantation in patients with haematological and non-haematological malignancies as an alternative to BMT.1 The short-term adverse events experienced by HPC-A donors after mobilization with G-CSF are well known.2, 3, 4 The most frequently described events are mild to moderate in nature and include bone pain, headache, nausea, insomnia, fever, fatigue and reversible changes in laboratory parameters, such as increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase, in addition to thrombocytopenia. Despite this, isolated cases of severe clinical involvement,5, 6 such as substantial increases in spleen size and, in some cases, a rupture of the organ, have been reported.7

A 41-year-old male patient was diagnosed with refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma after autologous HPC-A transplantation. After salvage chemotherapy, he was scheduled for allogeneic HPC-A transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning from his 36-year-old brother.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UO Centro Trapianti Midollo Osseo, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    M Martino, E Massara, G Irrera, G Messina & G Console

  2. UO Radiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera ‘Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli’, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    G Barreca

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  1. M Martino
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Correspondence to M Martino.

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Martino, M., Massara, E., Irrera, G. et al. Pulmonary micro-embolism in a healthy donor following G-CSF administration for mobilization of hemopoietic progenitor cells. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 308–310 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.72

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