Combined Transplantation of Bone Marrow and Umbilical Cord Blood of Same Sibling in Twenty Three Children with Beta-Thalassemia Major

To investigate the effect of transplantation using bone marrow plus umbilical cord blood from same sibling in children with β-thalassemia major (TM).

Twenty three TM patients undergoing transplantation of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of same sibling aged from 4.0 to 12 years, 13 boys and 10 girls, were recruited at the Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from January 2005 to June 2012. The patients were classified into three classes, class¢ñ to class ¢ò 22 cases and class ¢ó 1 case. Donors ranged 1–4 years received 10 Ìg/kg per day of subcutaneous granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for 5 consecutive days. Bone marrow was harvested on the fifth day. Bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of the same sibling then were transfused into the patient.

Recovery of hematopoiesis was gained in all patients 4 weeks following transplantation. Seventeen patients suffered from infection of different degree. Six patients developed mild venous occlusive disease. Four patients developed grade¢ñacute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and one developed grade¢ñchronic GVHD. Of twenty three patients, twenty survived, three died of whom, one died of lung infection and heart failure 32 days following transplantation, one died of organ failue on 47days after transplantation, and the other one died of lung fugal infection 22 months after transplantation.

Combined transplantation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor primed bone marrow and umbilical cord blood of same sibling in children with β-thalassemia major is safe and effective with promising results. However, complications should be paid high attention following transplantation.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.