risks, prohibitions and how to register
More and more people in our country are registering with the Spanish Registry of Bone Marrow Donors (REDMO), the institution responsible for managing bone marrow donations, which is necessary for people suffering from diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
The Spanish Registry of Bone Marrow Donors (REDMO) is managed by the Josep Carreras Foundation in coordination with the Ministry of Health through the National Organization of Transplantation (ONT), as well as the Autonomous Communities and Cities where important data is collected. What people who want to become donors should know bone marrow.
Requirements for a bone marrow donor
When donating bone marrow, it is necessary to take into account a number of requirements, which are mainly related to the age and health of the donor himself. Therefore, the Josep Carreras Foundation indicates that in general you can be an unrelated donor of hematopoietic progenitors (blood stem cells). “every healthy person aged 18 to 60 years, as long as you don’t suffer no disease can be transmitted recipient and that he does not suffer from any medical condition that could endanger his life due to the donation.
However, registration is currently only permitted new donors to people from 18 to 40 years old: “This is due to the goal of rejuvenating and optimizing the composition of our donor registry, since the youngest donors (under 40 years of age) are the most in demand and with whom the best clinical results are achieved in patients who have undergone transplantation,” explains. . After registration, each donor can remain on the register for up to 60 yearsmaximum age allowed for effective donation.
Overall bone marrow donor must not have a personal medical history cardiac, hepatic, autoimmune, infectious-contagious or neoplastic.
Risks and consequences
In the bone marrow donation guide, you can find some contraindications when becoming a donor of hematopoietic progenitor cells, for example: when:
- Uncontrolled arterial hypertension.
- Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- Any serious cardiovascular, neurological, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, etc. disease that requires ongoing monitoring with prescription medications or readmission to the hospital.
- Infection with hepatitis B or C virus, acquired immunodeficiency virus (AIDS), or other potentially infectious agents.
- Risk factors for diseases transmitted through blood products, such as: intravenous drug addiction, risky sexual behavior, hemophilia, etc.
- Have been definitively discharged as a blood donor (with some exceptions, which will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis).
- There is a history of inflammatory eye diseases (iritis, episcleritis) or fibromyalgia.
- Have a history or risk factors for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
- Get lithium treatment.
- Platelet count less than 120,000 ml.
- Temporary contraindications: pregnancy, since after childbirth and the end of breastfeeding you can be a donor. Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy (aspirin, dipyridamole or similar drugs) depending on its duration and underlying disease. Weight less than 50 kg or more than 130 kg.
In addition to these contraindications, there are others associated with morbid obesity, malformations of the neck or spine, possible allergies to anesthetics and familial enzyme deficiencies… “It is therefore recommended that each candidate consult his or her specific case before registering as a donor, as some pathologies are contraindicated for donating bone marrow but not donating peripheral blood, and vice versa.
How to register as a bone marrow donor
Individuals who meet the requirements to register as a bone marrow donor can register through the web portal Josep Carreras Foundation or also on the website National Organization for Transplantation (ONT).
To get detailed information about bone marrow donation, it is important to get extensive information from the above-mentioned official websites. Additionally, the manual explains that you shouldand call the help center by phone donors from each Autonomous Community.
You must then fill out all sections of the form in clear capital letters. registration document, sign the registration documentAsk a witness (family member, friend, or other person present at the time of signing) to sign the same document and allow a small sample of blood or saliva (you do not have to fast) to be taken for compatibility tests.
If it is compatible, there are two options when donating hematopoietic progenitors: via peripheral blood:
- Peripheral blood: Obtaining stem cells from peripheral blood after one or usually two subcutaneous injections per day for 4-5 days until a minimum of stem cells in the blood is achieved. Agents called “growth factors” are given to move stem cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream.
- Bone marrow: Extraction of spinal blood from the iliac crests (posterior superior part of the pelvis) through puncture. This procedure is performed under general or epidural anesthesia and requires 24-hour hospitalization. Currently, this procedure is performed in only 20% of cases or for patients with very specific conditions who respond better to this type of donation.