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Review
. 2021 Jul 14:14:3457-3467.
doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S321787. eCollection 2021.

Leukapheresis and Hyperleukocytosis, Past and Future

Dongdong Zhang  1 , Yufan Zhu  2 , Yanxia Jin  3 , Natasha Mupeta Kaweme  3 , Youhong Dong  1
Affiliations
Review

Leukapheresis and Hyperleukocytosis, Past and Future

Dongdong Zhang et al. Int J Gen Med. .

Abstract

Hyperleukocytosis is a hematologic crisis caused by excessive proliferation of leukemic cells and has a relatively high early mortality due to a series of severe complications. Therefore, prompt and effective intervention is required. Leukapheresis performed using apheresis equipment to separate leukocytes from peripheral blood, at the same time returns autologous plasma, platelets and erythrocytes to the patient, is applied clinically for the treatment of hyperleukocytosis. Leukapheresis not only removes excessive leukocytes rapidly and corrects metabolic abnormalities but also alleviates the symptoms of leukostasis. In addition, the procedure of leukapheresis is generally well tolerated. Leukapheresis has become one of the most imperative adjuvant therapies to treat hyperleukocytosis, especially in the patient who was not inappropriate to cytoreduce with Ara-C or hydroxyurea. In this review, we present the background of leukapheresis development and highlight its clinical application in hyperleukocytic leukemia patients.

Keywords: hyperleukocytic leukemia; hyperleukocytosis; leukapheresis; leukostasis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to report in this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The emergence of different blood cell separators at different periods.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The indication and therapeutic strategy of leukapheresis in the treatment of hyperleukocytosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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