Bone marrow graft for the treatment of autoimmune diseases

Experimental basis and clinical observations: Remission of an autoimmune di sease has been observed in certain patients after bone marrow allograft fro m a healthy donor. Autoimmune disease in the donor can also be transmitted to an unaffected recipient. These phenomena would be hematopoietic-dependen t. Bone marrow allografts: Indications for the treatment of refractory autoimm une diseases are exceptional due to the related mortality even in patients without malignant hematologic disease. A new therapeutic concept: Therapeutic intensification, followed with autol ogous peripheral stem cell grafts, a procedure with a mortality below 3% in 1997 constitutes a therapeutic alternative in these difficult indication c oncerning severe refractory autoimmune diseases including: sclerodermia, va sculitis, lupus, inflammatory myositis, autoimmune cyopenia.