Strategy options of high dose immunosuppressive therapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple sclerosis: long-term follow-up

High-dose immunosuppressive therapy (HDIT) with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a new and promising approach to MS treatment. In this paper we present the results of HDIT+AHSCT in 135 patients with different types MS. The patients underwent early, conventional or salvage transplantation. Efficacy was evaluated based on clinical outcomes and MRI data. No transplant related deaths were observed. The mobilization and transplantation procedures were well tolerated. The estimated progressionfree survival at 3 years was 95% in the group after early AHSCT versus 76% in the group after conventional/salvage AHSCT. No active, new or enlarging lesions on MRI scans were registered in patients without disease progression. All patients who did not have disease progression were off therapy throughout the post-transplant period. The results of our study support the feasibility of AHSCT in MS patients.