National Cord Blood Program, New York Blood Center, Long Island City, NY
Cord blood units (CBUs) are evaluated post-thaw using quality control (QC) testing to ensure cell potency and reliability for transplantation. Segments attached to CBUs are tested without compromising the full unit, assessing parameters such as total nucleated cells (TNC), viable CD34 cells, and colony-forming units (CFU). Results from 2,249 segments show mean recoveries of 78.4% for TNC, 61.85% for viable CD34 cells, and 58.99% for CFU, with CD34 viability averaging 94.33%. Correlations between pre-freeze and post-thaw values are strong, confirming the reliability of these metrics.
Post-thaw CD34 viability and CFU growth are significantly correlated, making viable CD34 cells a reliable predictor of quality when CFU results are unavailable. Of the 323 transplanted CBUs, 98% resulted in successful engraftment. Deviations were linked to testing issues, not unit quality. These findings provide transplant centers with a robust reference for expected recoveries, ensuring consistent outcomes and reliable CBU quality over a 20-year collection period.