Faculty Collaboration Database

Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Treatment-Refractory Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: Position Statement from the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2019 May;25(5):845-854

Date

02/23/2019

Pubmed ID

30794930

DOI

10.1016/j.bbmt.2019.02.014

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85063110465 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   99 Citations

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, disabling, immune-mediated, demyelinating and degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Approved disease-modifying therapies may be incompletely effective in some patients with highly active relapsing disease and high risk of disability. The use of immunoablative or myeloablative therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) has been investigated in retrospective studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses/systematic reviews as an approach to address this unmet clinical need. On behalf of the American Society for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT), a panel of experts in AHCT and MS convened to review available evidence and make recommendations on MS as an indication for AHCT. A review of recent literature identified 8 retrospective studies, 8 clinical trials, and 3 meta-analyses/systematic reviews. In aggregate, these studies indicate that AHCT is an efficacious and safe treatment for active relapsing forms of MS to prevent clinical relapse, magnetic resonance imaging-detectable lesion activity, and worsening disability and to reverse disability without unexpected adverse events. Based on the available evidence, the ASBMT recommends that treatment-refractory relapsing MS with high risk of future disability be considered a "standard of care, clinical evidence available" indication for AHCT. Collaboration of neurologists with expertise in treating MS and transplantation physicians with experience performing AHCT for autoimmune disease is crucial for ensuring appropriate patient selection and optimizing transplantation procedures to improve patient outcomes. Transplantation centers in the United States and Canada are strongly encouraged to report baseline and outcomes data on patients receiving AHCT for multiple sclerosis to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research.

Author List

Cohen JA, Baldassari LE, Atkins HL, Bowen JD, Bredeson C, Carpenter PA, Corboy JR, Freedman MS, Griffith LM, Lowsky R, Majhail NS, Muraro PA, Nash RA, Pasquini MC, Sarantopoulos S, Savani BN, Storek J, Sullivan KM, Georges GE

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Canada
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Humans
Multiple Sclerosis
Patient Care Team
Salvage Therapy
Societies, Medical
Transplantation, Autologous
Treatment Outcome
United States