Cytapheresis of Volunteer Donors

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Healthy Volunteers

In brief

Background: \- National Institute on Aging researchers are looking at studies that require large numbers of white blood cells for lab use. Standard blood samples do not provide enough white blood cells for these studies. Researchers want to use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells from volunteer donors. This procedure can collect larger amounts of white blood cells and reduce the amount of fluid and other cells that are lost. Objectives: \- To use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells for study. Eligibility: \- Healthy blood donors at least 18 years of age. Design: * Participants will be screened according to the usual blood donation procedures. * Participants will provide white blood cells through cytapheresis. The blood cells will be collected in a machine that separates the white blood cells from the rest of the blood. The rest of the blood will be returned to the donor. * Participants may have this type of donation every 56 days (six times per year). They will be asked to become a repeat donor. A donation schedule may be set up. * Once a year, participants will have blood tests to continue to be eligible as a donor.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT00104325
Run by: National Institute on Aging (NIA)
People needed: 10000
Starts: 2003-01-30
Last updated by the study team: 2026-07-14

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 120. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

Unable to verify identification of volunteer by state issued ID card, driver s license, or military ID. Participants earning greater than $600.00/year are issued a 1099 form, therefore, positive identification is required.
Unable to provide informed consent
Weight less than 110 pounds as mandated by AABB guidelines.
Chronic Immunosuppressive medications such as Steroids, Cellcept or Sirolimus. Steroids given for minor illness ok if taken more than 6 weeks before any cytapheresis procedure. Immunosuppressive medications may not be used at the time of the cytapheresis procedure as they decrease circulating white blood cells.
Test results are positive for viral infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B or C and RPR. Researchers are seeking healthy, pristine cells. Due to the ongoing nature of these chronic viral and bacterial infections, the white cell populations in the peripheral blood will change. Researchers want to study changing white cell populations as a factor of aging only and not those altered by infections.
Ongoing risk factors for HIV or Hepatitis B or C such as: intravenous drug use, non-monogamous unprotected intercourse, or chronic use of clotting factor concentrates such as prothrombin complexes, Factor XIII or Factor VIIa. These viruses weaken the immune system and cause changes in the white blood cells.
Risk factors for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease such as: a relative with the disease, received beef insulin or growth hormone from human pituitary glands, or residency/travel to high risk countries (complete list of countries located in the Cytapheresis Screening manual kept in the NIA apheresis unit). This is a transmittable infectious disease with a very long incubation period.
Major medical illnesses such as any type of liquid or solid tumor cancer, diabetes, history of deep vein thrombosis, organ or bone marrow transplant, or liver, kidney, heart or lung disease.
A medical finding that shows a participant could not safely go through this procedure. (such as Parkinson s disease, dementia or any uncontrolled behavior that would place the participant s safety at risk)
Major infectious diseases such as Chagas disease, babesiosis, syphilis or malaria
Bleeding conditions such as hemophilia or von Willebrand s disease.
Significant abnormalities are found in the results of blood tests such as elevated liver enzymes, abnormal kidney function, positive viral titers, fasting blood glucose greater than 120.
On any medication that can alter white blood cell function such as chronic steroid use, histamine-2 blockers, antivirals or chemotherapy. (complete list located in the Cytapheresis Screening manual stored in the NIA Apheresis unit).
In addition, eligible participants may not be able to participate in a specific cytapheresis procedure but might be eligible at a later date for:
Pregnancy and Nursing Mothers - Females who are pregnant or who have had a pregnancy in the last 6 weeks are temporarily deferred. They may resume apheresis participation 6 weeks after delivery or cessation of lactation and have been cleared by their obstetrician or primary care physician.
Medications: Volunteers taking the following medications would be deferred:
Antibiotics, antifungals, antimalarials: Deferred for 2 weeks after course has been completed and volunteer is feeling well.
Temporary steroids (tapers): Deferred for 72 hours after symptoms are resolved and prescription is completed if taken orally, intravenously, or intramuscular. No deferral if taken intranasal or for joint injection.
Hepatitis B immune globulin: Volunteers are deferred 6 months if given after exposure to hepatitis B to insure the volunteer has not been infected. If administered for prophylaxis, no deferral is necessary.
Live Attenuated Virus Vaccinations: Defer for 4 weeks if symptom-free.
Inactivated (Killed Virus) Vaccinations: Defer for 2 weeks if symptom-free.
Rabies Vaccine: Deferred for 1 year if given for rabies exposure; otherwise accept immediately if symptom-free.
Smallpox Vaccine: Deferred until the scab has separated from the skin spontaneously or 21 days from date of immunization, whichever is longer, if volunteer had no other symptoms or complications. Visual verification of absence of vaccine scab is required. If scab was otherwise removed (not spontaneously separated), defer for 2 months after vaccination date.
Blood thinners such as Plavix, Ticlid or Lovenox. Deferral for 5 days after last dose to decrease bleeding risk at needle puncture sites. Participants are not deferred for the use of aspirin or aspirin products.
Experimental Medication or Unlicensed (Experimental) Vaccine is usually associated with a research protocol and the effect on blood donation is unknown. Deferral is one year unless otherwise indicated by the Principal Investigator.

Where it is running

National Institute of Aging, Clinical Research Unit — Baltimore, Maryland, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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