Abstract 12 Evaluating the Properties of the Donor to Determine the Quality of Cord Blood

INTRODUCTION: Cord blood is a valuable source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that offer advantages over other sources, but the volume and the absolute number of stem cells in cord blood are limited. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to analyze the influence of the factors relating to mothers, babies, and collection on the quality of cord blood units before cryopreservation in Vinmec Tissue Bank, Vietnam. This provides a thorough insight into available predictors that can inform the potential recipients. METHODS: This study, conducted at Vinmec Tissue Bank in Vietnam between January 2019 and December 2021, collected, processed, and analyzed 2,668 cord blood samples. The study evaluated the impact of donor and collection factors, including maternal age, delivery mode, gestational age, infant weight, gender, blood group, geography, season, collection volume, viability, TNC, and CD34(+) cell components on cord blood characteristics. RESULTS: Results showed that maternal age, gestational age, delivery mode, and infant weight significantly affected TNC and CD34+ cells, while infant gender only has a significant impact on TNC. Additionally, the collection features such as cord blood volume, geography, the season of delivery, and waiting time associated with cord blood outcomes. DISCUSSION: In virtue of its superior matching probability, lower incidence of GVHD, and reduced recurrence rates, cord blood is considered a favorable option for HSC transplantation. However, the limited number of HSCs available from cord blood for bigger patients can be addressed through global cooperation. The possibility of using multiple cord blood units for hematologic cancers has been made feasible through inter-unit HLA matching (29,30). As global cooperation between cord blood banks expands, there is a growing opportunity to find matching samples for recipients. Our large-scale analysis of cord blood throughout Vietnam has highlighted the significance of baby weight and volume in determining cord blood quality. This report represents the first-ever study in Asia to investigate the impact of geography and demography on cord blood. Further evaluation is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of these factors, which would enable more appropriate counseling for patients. [Image: see text] Figure 1. Elements that impact the quality of hematopoietic stem cells in cord blood.