Therapeutic erythrocytapheresis versus phlebotomy in the initial treatment of hereditary hemochromatosis - A pilot study.

Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disorder of iron metabolism, resulting in excessive iron overload. Currently, phlebotomy is the standard effective treatment that prevents progression of tissue damage. Aim of the therapy is to reach ferritin levels between 20 and 50mugl(-1). In patients with total iron stores of more than 30g, intensive treatment by means of weekly phlebotomies during 2-3 years is required to reach this aim. More recently mechanical removal of erythrocytes through therapeutic erythrocytapheresis (TE) has become a new therapeutic modality. By means of TE, up to 1000ml erythrocytes per session can be removed, depending on patient characteristics, compared to 250ml erythrocytes per phlebotomy. Thus, TE potentially offers a more efficient method of removing iron overload with less procedures in a shorter treatment period. In a pilot study between 2002 and 2005, results from a group of HH patients treated with TE (N=6) were compared to the results of a historical control group of HH patients (N=6) treated with phlebotomy. The results showed a reduction of almost 70% in both the total number and the duration of treatments in the TE group. Although, the procedure costs compared on the basis of a single TE session were higher, the total costs for the whole treatment were comparable or cheaper with the use of TE. Future prospective studies are needed to compare both therapies in a randomized setting.

Donor selection criteria to maximize double platelet products (DPP) by platelet apheresis.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease brought us to perform a study to diminish donor exposure from transfusion of platelet concentrates. The current study aimed to develop donor selection criteria that maximize the likelihood of deriving single donor platelets and producing double platelet products (DPP). Donors were recruited among plasmapheresis donors and among other donors when the selected donors did not show up. Donor precount and body weight and haematocrit were examined as determinants of higher split-rates combined with procedure time. When the criterion was set on 225; 82% of the procedures (n=717) with a precount of >225 yielded DPP compared to 54% of the procedures with a precount <225 (p<.01). Body weight >65 kg gave good results in split-rate. Procedure time showed an inverse correlation with the highest correlating precount (r=-.14; p<.001). Eighty one percent of the donors reported a willingness to donate at least seven times a year and 75% accepted the mean procedure time. This confirmed logistical feasibility of the conversion to AP-PC although profits would be reduce 13% compared to platelets from pooled buffy coats.