Musculoskeletal
Stem Cell Transplants Leads to Remission of Lupus and Arrest of
21 years, 6 months ago
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Posted on Oct 13, 2002, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Scientists in Chicago have managed to produce remission in patients with severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) via a combination of chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. The condition of the patients then went on to improve without the need of immunosupressive drugs, 25 months later 100% of the patients were completely free of the signs of active lupus.
Scientists in Chicago have managed to produce remission in patients with severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) via a combination of chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation. The condition of the patients then went on to improve without the need of immunosupressive drugs, 25 months later 100% of the patients were completely free of the signs of active lupus. Similar studies in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have disclosed that stem cell transplants are capable of arresting the disease, although they cannot repair existing neurological damage. The NIH has given the team funding for phase III trials of the treatment with SLE and MS patients.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: The Lancet 2000; 356: 701-707
