Cord Blood RBC Depletion Using 10% Pentastarch and 6% Hydroxyethylstarch

Choi, Hyoung Soo; Koh, Sang Hyeok; Kang, Hyoung Jin; Shin, Hee Young; Ahn, Hyo Seop

Abstract

PURPOSE: For separation of RBC from cord blood, it is important to minimize RBC contamination without significant loss of nucleated cells using sedimentation agent that is safe for human use. This study was performed to investigate the possibility of replacing 6% hydroxyethylstarch (HES) with 10% pentastarch (PS) which is a lower molecular weight hetastarch-analog that is cleared from the circulation rapidly.
METHODS
After dilution of cord blood till hematocrit 25%, PS or HES were added by the ratio of 7:1 and 5:1 respectively. Sedimentation was performed for 2 hours by gravity.
RESULTS
PS was used in 14 cases with volume of 72.4+/-22.3 mL (45~126 mL) and HES in 8 cases with volume of 58.4+/-8.0 mL (50~70 mL). Sedimentation rate has reached at plateau by 90 minutes in PS group and it was slightly faster than in HES group. Recovery rate of nucleated cells and residual RBC were 82.9+/-10.7%, 7.6+/-5.4% in PS group, and 84.0+/-4.7%, 10.7+/-2.3% in HES group. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P=0.657, 0.219). Cell viabilities were high in both groups; 92+/-3% before separation and 97+/-2% in PS group and 98+/-3% in HES group. CD34+ cells were 0.75+/-0.28% before separation and 0.64+/-0.21% in PS group and 0.60+/-0.30% in HES group (P=0.690). CFU-GM after 2 week culture were 27.4+/-20.0 per 1 105 mononuclear cells in PS group and 22.9+/-8.6 in HES group (P=0.856).
CONCLUSION
These results demonstrated that PS has similar efficacy to HES for separation of RBC from umbilical cord blood. Considering its rapid clearance and faster sedimentation rate, PS can replace HES for RBC separation in cord blood banking.