¹Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program, Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, The Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

Correspondence: Dr Jayesh Mehta, 676 N, St Clair Street, Suite 850, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Received 28 August 2002; Accepted 21 November 2002.

Abstract

The number of CD34+ cells infused influences the speed of hematologic recovery post-transplant. There are limited data on whether ideal (IBW) or actual (ABW) body weight should be used to calculate CD34+ cell dose. We compared the correlation between recovery to 0.5 10⁹/l neutrophils and the CD34+ cell dose based upon ABW as well as IBW in 87 patients autografted for cancer. ABW was 25% over IBW in 43% of patients. The median number of CD34+ cells administered was 3.6 10⁶/kg ABW and 4.2 10⁶/kg IBW. The time to neutrophil recovery was 8–15 days (median 10). There was a stronger inverse correlation between CD34+ cell dose/IBW and neutrophil recovery (r²=0.308; P<0.0001) than between CD34+ cell dose/ABW and neutrophil recovery (r²=0.267; P<0.0001). The median time to neutrophil recovery was comparable for those receiving 2 10⁶/kg CD34+ cells/kg IBW as well as ABW (10 days) and those receiving 2 10⁶/kg CD34+ cells/kg IBW but <2/kg ABW (10 days), but was significantly slower for those receiving <2 10⁶/kg CD34+ cells/kg IBW (12 days). These data show that the CD34+ cell dose based on IBW is a better predictor of neutrophil recovery after autotransplantation.