Enumeration of CD34+ haemopoietic stem cells: comparative study of the performance of the SYSMEX XN-1000 hematology analyzer in a dual-platform approach versus a single-platform approach

Abstract

Data regarding the quantification of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cell HSC in dual-platform (DP) approach using a hematological analyzer featuring dedicated nRBC channel are limited if not inexistent. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of the DP approach on quantification of CD34+ HSC using a new generation of hematological analyzer featuring dedicated nRBC channel, Sysmex XN-1000, with the single-plate (SP) form approach using Beckman Coulter's Navios flow cytometer. Using the International Society for Hematotherapy and Transplantation protocol, a total of 86 samples were analyzed in multiple myeloma patients planned for autologous HSC transplantation. The Beckman Coulter's Stem-Kit™ reagents were used to perform both approaches DP and SP. The count of CD34+ cells of the SP deduced directly from the software that manage the Navios flow cytometry was compared to CD34+ cell count obtained by DP. The DP approach was made by combining flow cytometry analysis and the Sysmex XN-1000 hematological cell analyzer data. The analysis of the agreement of the results between these two approaches using the Bland-Altman diagram gave a bias of one cell/μl. As for the equation of the right of Passing-Bablok, it is Y (SP) = 0.166667 + 0.969697 X (DP). The slight differences in CD34+ stem cell counting between these two approaches did not achieve statistical significance. Both SP and DP approaches were effective and yield similar results. DP seems to be a simple and affordable approach that is well suited to the needs of laboratories where this type of analyzer is available.