Quality of life monitoring in multiple sclerosis patients undergoing high dose immunosuppressive therapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a major inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), associated with a broad spectrum of physical, psychological, and social impairments. The goal of treatment of MS is to control symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life (QoL). High-dose immunosuppressive therapy (HDIT) with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a new and promising approach to MS treatment. In order to evaluate the efficacy of treatment or rehabilitation of MS patients it is necessary to assess patients’ QoL. In this paper we present the results of QoL monitoring in 50 patients with different types MS after early, conventional or salvage transplantation. QoL was assessed using RAND SF-36. Significant impairment of QoL was observed at base-line. After HDIT+AHSCT dramatic improvement of QoL was registered. QoL improvement or QoL stabilization was achieved in 96% in the group after early AHSCT and in 76% patients after conventional/salvage AHSCT.