Photopheresis in pediatric patients with low‐body weight using the UVAR® XTS™ system

Abstract

Photopheresis (ECP) with the UVAR XTS system has been limited to patients with a body weight > 40 kg, because extracorporeal blood volumes (ECV) may exceed 15% of the total blood volumes in low-body-weight patients. Because of these instrument characteristics, the use of ECP is limited in pediatric patients. In 5 patients (age 4 to 15 years) with graft-versus-host disease and with a body weight between 13 and 34 kilograms, photopheresis was performed using the UVAR XTS system. In 3 patients ECP could be performed by balancing the ECV with saline infusions. In 2 patients the system was modified in that the instrument was primed with packed red cells. During the treatment, fluid balance was guaranteed by a reservoir from a transfusion bag connected in parallel. Together 223 procedures were performed, among them 28 with the modification of the system. The treatments were well tolerated, and no episodes of hypotension were observed. It is possible to run ECP in low-body weight patients with the UVAR XTS system.