Cord Blood Helping Immune Patient

July 22nd, 2008

USA Today recently ran a story about a nine-month-old baby suffering from severe combined immunodeficiency.  This prevents his body from producing enough T cells to fight off disease.  the condition is often referred to as “bubble boy” disease because its victims are so vulnerable to infectious disease that they must live in protective bubbles. 

Granton Bayless was admitted to the hospital in March, suffering from pneumonia and respiratory synctial virus.  He was placed on a ventilator and given medicine to paralyze him so he wouldn’t hurt himself with the equipment. 

Following an exhaustive search for a bone-marrow or cord-blood match, Granton finally received an umbilical cord blood transplant at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.  Cord blood was chosen because there was less of a chance that it would damage the surrounding tissue.  Since the transplant, Granton’s recovery has been awe inspiring.  A recent blood test showed that 86% of his white blood cells were donor cells.  In addition, Granton is producing “natural killer cells,” which are important for fighting infection. 

Risks still remain, particularly that the donor cells will begin to attack the baby’s own cells, but his parents are hopful.  Since the treatment, Granton has gained weight, become more active, and even more importantly, his parents are able to hold him again. 

Hopefully, this will become another happy ending brought about be an umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant. 

Entry Filed under: Cord Blood, babies, medical research, parents, stem cells