title: Autologous stem cell transplantation for systemic lupus erythematosus: report of efficacy and safety at 7 years of follow-up in 17 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We observed the efficacy and toxicity of autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with SLE were treated with auto-SCT. No prisoners were used in the study. Peripheral blood stem cells were mobilized with cyclophosphamide (Cy) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. After a conditioning regimen of Cy and antithymocyte globulin, we reinfused stem cells. The probabilities of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were used to assess the efficacy and adverse experiences, to detect the toxicities of the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up time was 89 months (range 33-110). Probabilities of 7-year OS and PFS were 82.4% ± 9.2% and 64.7% ± 11.6%, respectively. The principal adverse events included allergy, infection, elevation of liver enzymes, bone pain, and heart failure. Two patients died due to severe pneumonia and heart failure at 33 and 64 months after transplantation, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our 7-year follow-up results suggested that auto-SCT seemed beneficial for SLE patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: X-N
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: H-Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: L-X
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: J-B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: J-K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J-Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D055815:Young Adult