title: Long-term results of stem cell transplantation for MS: a single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report long-term results of a phase I/II study conducted in a single center in order to investigate the effect of hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and MRI outcomes of 35 patients with aggressive MS treated with HSCT are reported after a median follow-up period of 11 (range 2-15) years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Disease progression-free survival (PFS) at 15 years is 44% for patients with active CNS disease and 10% for those without (p=0.01); median time to progression was 11 (95% confidence interval 0-22) and 2 (0-6) years. Improvements by 0.5-5.5 (median 1) Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) points were observed in 16 cases lasting for a median of 2 years. In 9 of these patients, EDSS scores did not progress above baseline scores. Two patients died, at 2 months and 2.5 years, from transplant-related complications. Gadolinium-enhancing lesions were significantly reduced after mobilization but were maximally and persistently diminished post-HSCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSCT is not a therapy for the general population of patients with MS but should be reserved for aggressive cases, still in the inflammatory phase of the disease, and for the malignant form, in which it can be life-saving. HSCT has an impressive and sustained effect in suppressing disease activity on MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study provides Class IV evidence that HSCT results in PFS rates of 25%. PFS rate was significantly better in patients with active MRI lesions; HSCT also resulted in a significant reduction in the number and volume of gadolinium-enhancing lesions on MRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplantation and Gene & Cell Therapy Unit, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School, George Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fassas
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Kimiskidis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakellari
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kapinas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsimourtou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sotirakoglou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005682:Gadolinium