Factors Affecting Engraftment Time in Autologous PeripheralStem Cell Transplantation

Background: Rapid hematological engraftment at autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (APSCT)is a significant factor in reduction of early transplant-related complications and costs. For this reason, it isimportant to determine influences on hematological recovery.
Methods: This study was designed to evaluatefactors affecting leukocyte and platelet engraftment times after high dose chemotherapy following APSCT.A total of 228 patients (131 males and 97 females) were enrolled.
Results: There were statistically significantdifferences between patients with CD34+ cell doses ≥2.5×106/kg (n=180) and <2.5×106/kg (n=48), regardingleukocyte engraftment at 11 and 12 days, respectively (p<0.02), between G-CSF (n=167) and GM-CSF (n=61)posttransplant regarding median leukocyte engraftment times (p=0.005), and between with (n=75) or without(n=153) history of pretransplant radiotherapy for both leukocyte and platelet engraftment times (p<0.001).
Conclusions: For leukocyte engraftment, a history of pretransplant radiotherapy, type of growth factor usedand number of CD34+ cells infused, and for platelet engraftment, a history of pretransplant radiotherapy werefound to be independent variables on multivariate analysis with the Cox regression method.