Bone marrow transplantation in Malaysia

• Published in: Bone marrow transplantation (Basingstoke) Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 725 - 729
• Main Authors: LIN, H. P, CHAN, L. L, TAN, A, ARIFFIN, W. A, LAM, S. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 01.06.1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Bone marrow, stem cells transplantation. Graft versus host reaction; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Graft vs Host Disease - epidemiology; Graft vs Host Disease - mortality; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Malaysia - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; National Health Programs; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; Asia; Malaysia; Human; Bone marrow; Hemopathy; Technique; Hematology; Graft surgical
• ISSN: 0268-3369; 1476-5365

The sole BMT centre in Malaysia caters only for children. Since 1987, 89 transplants have been performed using reverse barrier nursing techniques. The overall survival rate is 73% with the majority of survivors leading normal lives. The early and late infection rates of 46% and 13%, respectively, are comparable to those of other centres. Although the early septicaemia rate is 36% the immediate mortality rate is < 10%. GVHD is less frequent and severe and the interstitial pneumonitis rate lower than that in the West. The average cost of US $8000 per transplant is much lower than the cost of a transplant performed overseas. Thus we believe that our paediatric BMT programme is simple and cost-effective.