Autotransplantation of hematopoietic progenitor cells in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease exhibiting g reat clinical variability. For control of its primary and secondary progres sive variants, treatment has met with limited success. In recent years, inc reasing experience has been gained with the administration of high dose che motherapy supported by the autologous infusion of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), in some instances depleted of T cells. The European and Intern ational Registry of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Autoimmune Disea ses include 43 MS patients. BEAM was the most frequently used conditionatin g therapy. Treatment related mortality was 7%. The actuarial disease free s urvival and the overall projected survival at 38 months were 85% and 90% re spectively. The inclusion of an increasing number of MS patients into these treatment programs and the growing submission of cases to the Registries w ill provide useful information to determine if the initial enthusiasm gener ated by this approach for the control of primary and secondary progressive forms of MS is justified.