Serious Adverse Events in Related Donors: A Report from the Related Donor Safe Study

ABSTRACT The incidence and risk factors for severe adverse events (SAEs) in related donors (RD) of hematopoietic cell transplants is unknown. The Related Donor Safe (RDSafe) study is a prospective observational cohort of 1680 RDs, and represents an opportunity to examine characteristics of SAEs in RDs. In this cohort, we found that SAEs were reported in a total 12 (0.71%) RDs. Of these, five SAEs occurred in bone marrow donors (5/404, 1.24%), and seven (7/1276, 0.55%) were in donors of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC). All of the SAEs were considered to be related (definite, probable, or possible) to the donation process. There were no donor fatalities. Of the 12 RDs who experienced an SAE, 10 were either overweight or obese. Five of the 12 RDs had pre-donation medical conditions that would have resulted in either possible or definite ineligibility for donation were they being assessed as unrelated donors. These SAE data will be useful in the counselling of prospective RDs prior to planned donation, and may be helpful in identifying donors who should be considered medically unsuitable for donation.