Real-world evidence on effectiveness and safety of granulocyte transfusion (GT) during pre-engraftment phase in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: A single-centre study from north India, with mini-review of Indian studies on GT

• Published in: Transfusion and apheresis science Vol. 64; no. 3; p. 104127
• Main Authors: Silwal, Pragya, Tiwari, Aseem Kumar, Aggarwal, Geet, Gupta, Shubham, Yadav, S.P., Sood, Nitin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2025
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Granulocytes - transplantation; Hematology, Oncology, and Palliative Medicine; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation - methods; HSCT; Humans; India; Leukocyte Transfusion - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Retrospective Studies; India; GT; HSCT; Neutropenia
• ISSN: 1473-0502
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transci.2025.104127

Pre-engraftment phase of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) (<3 weeks after transplant) is a crucial period with chances of early complications like febrile neutropenia. Granulocyte transfusion (GT) is a temporary bridge therapy to recover such patients till engraftment. This was a retrospective observational study conducted by the department of Transfusion Medicine at a large tertiary care hospital in North India from January 2020 to June 2023. The study included all consecutive HSCT patients who received GT(s) during the pre-engraftment phase. Granulocyte was transfused to all post-HSCT patients fulfilling the criteria for GT. Donors were screened as per standard guidelines and apheresis was done for accepted donors. The mean dose of the product was 1.45 × 1010 and the mean comparison of pre- and post-procedure neutrophil count was statistically significant (<0.05). There was successful 30-day survival in all the patients. Although various studies have been done to prove the efficacy of GT, further research is recommended to formulate standard Indian guidelines.