Defining Parameters That Can Guide Public Cord Blood Units (CBUs) In Korea

It is well recognized that TNC and CD34 define a superior Cord blood unit (CBU). According to “the Law of Korean CB Banking and Research”, only 40% of collected CBUs meet the criteria. To improve a rate of banking, we analyzed the characteristics of CBUs and assessed predictive factors for numbers of TNC and CD34+ in collected CBUs.

From October 2003 to Dec. 2012, 3610 CBUs (2407 at the Catholic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank, 1203 at the Daegu Fatima Hospital Public Umbilical Cord Bank) were collected at two official Korean Public UCB banks. The variables were analysed from retrospective records at the time of donation. The associations between TNC, CD34+ and variables including gestational age (GA), gender of fetus, body weight (BW) of fetus, collected volume (CV), time from birth to preservation (T^BtoP) and delivery type were analyzed by logistic regression.

Our study cohort (n = 3610), the mean/median numbers of TNC, CD34+, GA, BW, T^BtoP and CV were 9.50/8.76úI10⁸ (range, 0.81-35.1), 2.78/2.10úI10⁶ (range, 0-29.2), 39.4/39.6 weeks (range, 31-42), 3.33/3.32 Kg (range, 1.66-4.97), 0.7/1.0 days (range 0-2), 84.75/82.12g (range, 3.7-179.2) respectively.In univariate analysis, maternal/donor (M/D) characteristics that were associated with high TNC (defined as > 10úI10⁸) included higher GA (defined as > 39weeks) [OR 1.38 (95% CI 1.19-1.60 p < 0.001)], normal delivery [OR 2.72 (95% CI 2.23-3.32 p < 0.001)], female gender [OR 1.32 (95% CI 1.14-1.53 p=0.001)], BW > 3.33Kg [OR 1.64 (95% CI 1.41-1.91 p < 0.001)] and CV > 84.75g [OR 2.37 (95% CI 2.06-2.72 p < 0.001)]. In multivariate analysis of TNC, CV > 84.75g [OR 7.53 (95% CI 2.54-22.29 p < 0.001)] and normal delivery [OR 10.41 (95% CI 1.817-59.66 p = 0.009)] were significant predictors of a high TNC and others were not significant. In case of CD34+, in univariate analysis, M/D characteristics that were associated with high numbers of CD34+ (defined as > 3.0úI10⁶) included normal delivery [OR 1.60 (95% CI 1.32-1.94 p < 0.001)], BW > 3.33Kg [OR 1.49 (95% CI 1.27-1.73 p < 0.001)] and CV > 84.75g [OR 1.48 (95% CI 1.29-1.70 p < 0.001)]. In multivariate analysis of CD34+, normal delivery [OR 19.40 (95% CI 3.72-101.25 p < 0.001)] was also the best predictor followed by BW > 3.33Kg [OR 2.53 (95% CI 1.16-5.54 p = 0.02)].

M/D characteristics were associated with normal delivery which is the best predictor for TNC and CD34+ followed by CV for TNC and BW for CD34+ in collected Korean CBUs. These associations could be used to prioritize donations, collections, optimizing and financial modeling in Korean CB banks.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.