Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Blood Doners

20 yrs ago, there was some work being done with mis-match donor transplants in a couple of centers. We ended up in one of those "trials" since there was no perfect match donor available. I was a 3/6 match for my son (age 2). Can't locate the exact tissue type, so I can't remember if B27 was one of the matches or not. Transplant was for a genetic disease, not malignancy. Most hospitals transplanting for this group of diseases are using cord blood now.

He had the total body irradiation, along with high dose chemo and massive amounts of steroids pretransplant. Complications with influenza and other infections in the 1st month, along with GVHD of the skin. More steroids to control that. Discharged at 3 months post-bmt. Continued steroids for 6 months and tapered off. No more GVHD. Continued IVIG (gamma-gard) for a year and then stopped. Graft held completely till his death five years ago from unrelated issues. We weren't so sure about the original disease not progressing, though.

If we had to change labs, due to moving, it usually freaked someone out when his karyotype came back female, if the notation "post bmt" wasn't mentioned in the lab order. (It was easier to check the karyotype than to send off blood for an enzyme test that is only done in 1 or 2 places in the US)

My understanding was that immune suppressants like cyclosporin, etc, were to protect a newly transplanted organ from the immune system rejecting it. When it's the bone marrow being transplanted, you are replacing the immune system and don't necessarily need life-long immunosuppressants. But it's been 20 yrs since I've thought about this in this manner. :-)

Hey, Ray:

Yes, I was turned away even from a bone marrow donation, due to AS.

Regards,
John

I couldn't donate for the same reason as your #2. Canada won't accept blood from Brits who lived in the UK during mad cow disease.