The world apheresis association registry, 2023 update.

The WAA apheresis registry contains data on more than 140,000 apheresis procedures conducted in 12 different countries. The aim is to give an update of indications, type and number of procedures and adverse events (AEs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The WAA-registry is used for registration of apheresis procedures and is free of charge. The responsible person for a center can apply at the site www.waa-registry.org RESULTS: Data includes reported AEs from 2012 and various procedures and diagnoses during the years 2018-2022; the latter in total from 27 centers registered a total of 9500 patients (41% women) that began therapeutic apheresis (TA) during the period. A total of 58,355 apheresis procedures were performed. The mean age was 50 years (range 0-94). The most common apheresis procedure was stem cell collection for which multiple myeloma was the most frequent diagnosis (51%). Donor cell collection was done in 14% and plasma exchange (PEX) in 28% of patients; In relation to all performed procedures PEX, using a centrifuge (35%) and LDL-apheresis (20%) were the most common. The main indication for PEX was TTP (17%). Peripheral veins were used in 56% as the vascular access. The preferred anticoagulant was ACD. AEs occurred in 2.7% of all procedures and were mostly mild (1%) and moderate 1.5% (needed supportive medication) and, only rarely, severe (0.15%). CONCLUSION: The data showed a wide range of indications and variability in apheresis procedures with low AE frequency.

Using the World Apheresis Association Registry Helps to Improve the Treatment Quality of Therapeutic Apheresis.

Therapeutic apheresis (TA) is prescribed to patients that suffer from a severe progressive disease that is not sufficiently treated by conventional medications. A way to gain more knowledge about this treatment is usually by the local analysis of data. However, the use of large quality assessment registries enables analyses of even rare findings. Here, we report some of the recent data from the World Apheresis Association (WAA) registry. Data from >104,000 procedures were documented, and TA was performed on >15,000 patients. The main indication for TA was the collection of autologous stem cells (45% of patients) as part of therapy for therapy. Collection of stem cells from donors for allogeneic transplantation was performed in 11% of patients. Patients with indications such as neurological diseases underwent plasma exchange (28%). Extracorporeal photochemotherapy, lipid apheresis, and antibody removal were other indications. Side effects recorded in the registry have decreased significantly over the years, with approximately only 10/10,000 procedures being interrupted for medical reasons. CONCLUSION: Collection of data from TA procedures within a multinational and multicenter concept facilitates the improvement of treatment by enabling the analysis of and feedback on indications, procedures, effects, and side effects.

World apheresis registry data from 2003 to 2007, the pediatric and adolescent side of the registry.

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric patients are a special group in apheresis. It is general accepted to use adult indications in paediatric patients, but data in this age group are rare. In order to provide more information of apheresis practise in children and young adults (<21a) we will report of knowledge learnt by data from the registry from 2003 until 2007. METHODS: This is a web-based registry. A link is available from the WAA homepage (www.worldapheresis.org). So far data from 12,448 procedures have been included. Six hundred and twelve procedures were performed in 135 children and young adults (308 procedures<16a, 237 from 17 to 20a, and 67 with 21a) representing 5% of the total population. The median age was 14 years (range 1-21 years), 74 male and 61 female. These data were entered by 15 centres with a frequency of in median 18 aphereses in young patients per centre (range 1-287) from 2003 to 2007. RESULTS: Main indications: haematological diseases and also nephrological, and neurological. The type of aphereses was mainly Leukapheresis (196, 33%), plasma exchange (149, 25%), photopheresis (127, 21%), and lipid aphereses (79, 13%). Blood access: peripheral vessels in 305 procedures (50%, compared to 73% in adults), central venous catheter in 239 (38%), and AV-fistula in 2% and 0.3%, and in 8 (1.31%) procedures an arterial line was used. Anticoagulation was mostly by ACD (71%), heparin (18% or the combination of both (3%). 39 adverse events (AE) were registered in 22 (=3.59%) of the procedures, mostly graded as mild. Treatment was interrupted in 14 procedures (2.29%). AE's were abdominal pain, anaphylactic shock, flush, hyper- and hypotension, nausea, vertigo, cephalea and need for sedation and technical problems with the device and problems with the venous access. The rate of AE's was similar for stem cell harvesting and for plasma exchange (4% and 4.7%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The paediatric data compared to the whole registry data set are showing that aphereses are performed as safe in paediatrics as in adults. Centres are mostly handling only a few cases younger than 21. Therefore more exchange of information and experience in paediatric apheresis is warranted.

[Selective apheresis of low-density lipoproteins in a child]. / Mazo tankio lipoproteinu selektyvi afereze vaikui.

The case of rear complicated homozygous hypercholesterolemia treated by a direct adsorption of lipoprotein apheresis procedure is presented in this article. In total, 30 sessions of direct adsorption of lipoprotein apheresis were performed on a 14-16-year-old patient from June 2004 to December 2006. Blood flow rate was 30-70 mL/min. Central and ulnar veins were punctured. Lipid levels were measured before and after lipid apheresis during each session throughout the study period. The mean decrease in total cholesterol level was 26.4-71.2% compared to baseline, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol--31.9-72.2%, lipoprotein (a)--56.6-90.9%, apolipoprotein B--26.4-60.0%. Clinical procedures were completely uneventful. The last 26 sessions were performed in a day unit.

[Selective apheresis of low-density lipoproteins]. / Mazo tankio lipoproteinu selektyvi afereze

The case of rare complicated homozygous hypercholesterolemia treated by a direct adsorption of lipoprotein apheresis procedure is presented in this article. In total eight sessions of direct adsorption of lipoprotein apheresis were performed on 14-year-old patient from June 2004 to January 2005. Blood flow rate was 30-50 ml/min. Central or ulnar veins were punctured. Lipids levels before and after lipid apheresis were measured during each session throughout the study period. The mean decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was 34.3-52.6% compared to baseline, total cholesterol--26.4-49.1%, lipoprotein (a)--67.4 and 90.9%, apolipoprotein B--26.4 and 48.4%. No side effects and complications were observed. The last four sessions were performed in a day unit.