National survey of apheresis activity in Italy (2000)

Abstract

Data collection on apheresis in Italy throughout 2000, including techniques, machines, clinical indications and adverse effects, has been performed by means of a standardized questionnaire. These data provided from 102 Apheresis Units from 19 Italian regions, albeit rough, are sufficiently informative. In 2000 a total number of 164,943 apheresis procedures has been carried out, with a clear-cut prevalence of productive apheresis (90.8%), that has been performed by all Apheresis Units. Lombardy, Venetia and Liguria have been the most active regions for therapeutic apheresis (54.0% of the total activity). Adverse events, predominantly mild ones (i.e., paresthesia due to citrate-induced hypocalcemia) have occurred in 0.59% of productive and in 6.75% of therapeutic apheresis sessions, particularly in the course of peripheral blood stem cell collection (13.0%).