Reasons for disqualification of unrelated donors of hematopoietic stem cells

Abstract

Background

In the recent years the population of registered unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors in Poland expanded to over 768 000 in 2014. In parallel the number of hematopoietic stem cell donations rose to over 900 in 2014. So far there are very little data about unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors in Poland.

Aims

Analysis of most common deferral reasons of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors at the time of final clearance before transplantation.

Methods

465 medical records of unrelated donors who underwent final clearance were analyzed. The deferral reasons were analyzed and compared with recent World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) guidelines for donor selection.

Results

1.5% of donors were permanently deferred at the final clearance – mostly with random medical conditions. 8% of donors (n=38) were temporarily deferred at the final clearance. Among them the deferral causes included: suspicion of recent or ongoing Toxoplasmosis (n=17); autoimmune thyroiditis (n=3); ongoing CMV infection (n=2) and other reasons (n=16). The median time of temporal deferral was 6 weeks. Except for the cases with suspicion of Toxoplasmosis, the temporal deferral over 3 weeks results in very low chances of donation (5%, n=19).

Conclusion

The percentages of permanent deferrals are low in Polish donors. The temporal deferrals are mostly based on suspicion of infectious diseases. The temporal deferrals of over 3 weeks in most of the cases effectively block the donation possibility.