Long-term outcomes following stem cell transplant for multiple sclerosis
More than 2.3 million people in the world are affected by MS, which can cause severe neurological disability. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has been investigated as a treatment for aggressive MS, the rationale for which is immune reconstitution. It is important to examine the course of MS after AHSCT over the long term. The current study by Paolo A. Muraro, M.D., of Imperial College London, and coauthors included data from 13 countries on 281 patients who underwent AHSCT between 1995 and 2006. Primary outcomes examined by the study were MS progression-free survival and overall survival. Eight deaths (2.8 percent) were reported within 100 days of transplant and were considered transplant-related. Transplant-related death is a major concern for a disease, such as MS, which is not life threatening . The authors suggest the 2.8 percent death rate in the current study likely reflects the early experience with AHSCT because only transplants performed throug...