A 64-year-old patient received an SCT in March. Two weeks after the transplant, the physician ordered a routine blood count. The patient's ANC is 12 × 10⁹/L, and his platelet count is 65 × 10⁹/L. Chimerism studies were performed 6 months after his transplant using VNTR polymorphisms, which indicated a partial chimerism. Interpret these results regarding what they mean for the patient.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's ANC and platelet count indicate short-term engraftment, but the partial chimerism suggests that it is unclear whether the patient will have long-term engraftment. The results do not suggest that the patient did not achieve engraftment at all, as evidenced by the blood counts.

A 64-Year-Old Patient Received an SCT in March