Growth Factor Administration in Lymphoma Transplants: Use of Flow Cytochemistry via the H*1 in Predictin Engraftment

The pattern of haemopoietic reconstitution after autologous bone marrow transplantation has been studied on 73 adult lymphoma patients (pts) using a flow cytochemistry blood autoanalyser (Technicon H*1). Thirty-six pts received haemopoietic growth factors (17 had M-CSF, 9 GM-CSF and 10 G-CSF). The first neutrophils appeared concurrently in all groups and most of the pts reached a neutrophil count of 0.1 × 109/1 by day +13; recovery was then accelerated significantly in the GM-CSF pts. Neutrophil recovery to 0.5 × 109/1 took 19.4 days for pts who received growth factors vs 24.7 days for the controls, with the GM-CSF group recovering earliest (mean day +14.1). The GM-CSF pts developed transient eosinophilia during the 3rd week post transplant. Monocyte recovery as well as the onset of blast flag, H (high) monocyte percentage flag and H (high) LUC (Large Unstained Cells) percentage flag preceded significantly the neutrophil recovery.