@article{3047880,
    title = "The impact of neocyte transfusion in the management of thalassaemia",
    author = "Spanos, T and Ladis, V and Palamidou, F and Papassotiriou, I and Banagi, and A and Premetis, E and Kattamis, C",
    journal = "Vox Sanguinis",
    year = "1996",
    volume = "70",
    number = "4",
    pages = "217-223",
    publisher = "Karger",
    issn = "0042-9007, 1423-0410",
    doi = "10.1111/j.1423-0410.1996.tb01330.x",
    abstract = "Transfusional iron overload leading to cardiopathy and other severe
complications continues to be a major problem in chronically transfused
homozygous beta-thalassaemia patients. It is well known that young red
cells (neocytes) survive longer after transfusion and therefore may
contribute to the extension of the intervals between transfusions. We
evaluated the impact of neocytes in the total annual blood requirements
and consequently the transfusional iron load in 18 thalassaemia
patients. A two-period study comparing transfusions of standard red
cells versus neocytes in the same group of patients was performed.
Neocytes were harvested by density separation using the Neocel(R)
System. The method of preparation was simple with relatively low costs
and required no special equipment. There was a significant difference (p
< 0.005) in PK and MCV values of the neocyte and older red cell
(gerocyte) fractions indicating that a good separation of the two
populations was achieved. All patients had a reduction in blood
requirements during the neocyte period. The total annually transfused
red blood cells and concomitant iron blood load were significantly
reduced (p < 0.001) by 20.2+/-9.1%. However, the response was variable.
Seven of the 18 patients had a large reduction in blood consumption
(24.8-34.8%), 9 others ranged between 10.7 and 21.6%, and in 2 the
reduction was less than 10%. This reduction in blood requirements and
in the transfused iron may change the chelation index resulting in more
efficient iron chelation therapy and perhaps reduce the cost of the
haemochromatosis therapy on a long-term basis. We conclude that the use
of neocyte therapy using this system can benefit the majority of
chronically transfused patients by reducing transfusional iron overload
and related complications and may lead to a much better quality of life."
}