Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis: Long-term follow-up data from Norway.

BACKGROUND: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potent treatment option for patients with aggressive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term outcomes of HSCT in MS. METHODS: National retrospective single-center observational study of patients with aggressive RRMS that underwent HSCT in Norway from January 2015 to January 2018. Criteria for receiving HSCT included at least two clinical relapses the last year while on disease modifying treatment (DMT). RESULTS: In total, 29 patients, with a mean follow-up time of 70 months (standard deviation:14.3), were evaluated. Twenty patients (69%) had sustained no evidence of disease activity (NEDA-3) status, 24 (83%) were relapse-free, 23 (79%) free of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, and 26 (90%) free of progression. Number of patients working full-time increased from 1 (3%), before HSCT, to 10 (33%) after 2 years and 15 (52%) after 5 years. CONCLUSION: HSCT offers long-term disease-free survival with successively increasing work participation in patients with aggressive MS resistant to DMTs.

Healthcare utilization and costs associated with autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Norwegian patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience long-term deterioration of neurological function, reduced quality of life, long-lasting treatment cycles, and an increased risk of early workability loss imposing an economic burden to society. Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has shown promising treatment effects for relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). This study employs a micro-costing approach to estimate healthcare utilization and costs associated with AHSCT in Norwegian RRMS patients. Patient-level data were extracted from medical journals of 30 RRMS patients receiving AHSCT treatment at Haukeland University Hospital in the period from January 2015 to January 2018. The time horizon for the analysis was from the pretransplant screening until one year after AHSCT. A correlation was found between patient body weight and total healthcare cost. The average total healthcare cost of AHSCT for RRMS patients was estimated to EUR 66 304 (95% CI: EUR 63 598 - EUR 69 010) including costs associated with the pre-AHSCT period, AHSCT treatment phases and one-year follow-up. The majority of the costs, EUR 64 329, occurred during the treatment phase and within the first 100 days after AHSCT. The results indicate that long-term healthcare cost savings may be achieved using AHSCT in selected patients with aggressive RRMS. This is due to the high costs of most used disease modifying treatments. Further research including long-term clinical data is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of this treatment.

Impact of previous disease-modifying treatment on safety and efficacy in patients with MS treated with AHSCT.

BACKGROUND: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a highly effective treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). The impact of previous long-lasting disease-modifying treatments (DMT) for safety and efficacy of AHSCT is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether previous DMTs with long-lasting effects on the immune system (anti-CD20 therapy, alemtuzumab and cladribine) affect treatment-related complications, long-term outcome and risk of new MS disease activity in patients treated with AHSCT. METHODS: Retrospective observational study of 104 relapsing remitting patients with MS treated by AHSCT in Sweden and Norway from 2011 to 2021, grouped according to the last DMT used ≤6 months prior to AHSCT. The primary outcomes were early AHSCT-related complications (mortality, neutropenic fever and hospitalisation length), long-term complications (secondary autoimmunity) and proportion of patients with No Evidence of Disease Activity (NEDA-3 status): no new relapses, no MRI activity and no disease progression during the follow-up. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 39.5 months (range 1-95). Neutropenic fever was a common AHSCT-related complication affecting 69 (66%) patients. There was no treatment-related mortality. During the follow-up period, 20 patients (19%) were diagnosed with autoimmunity. Occurrence of neutropenic fever, hospitalisation length or secondary autoimmunity did not vary dependent on the last DMT used prior to AHSCT. A total of 84 patients (81%) achieved NEDA-3 status, including all patients (100%) using rituximab, alemtuzumab or cladribine before AHSCT. CONCLUSION: This study provides level 4 evidence that AHSCT in patients previously treated with alemtuzumab, cladribine or rituximab is safe and efficacious.

Safety and efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple sclerosis in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Hematopoietic stem cell treatment (HSCT) is a promising treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS), but detailed safety and efficacy measures are still scarce. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of HSCT in MS. METHODS: Retrospective single-center observational study of all MS patients that underwent HSCT in Norway during January 2015 to January 2018. The primary outcome was no evidence of disease activity (NEDA-3) status. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients with a median follow-up time of 26 months (range: 11-48) were evaluated. In total, 25 (83%) achieved NEDA-3 status, and none received disease-modifying treatment after HSCT. For 13 (43%) of the patients, there were sustained improvement in Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, and 10 (33%) were working full time after the treatment, compared to only 1 (3%) before treatment. There were no serious treatment-related complications and was no mortality. Five patients (17%) were diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease after the procedure, and 10 (43%) of the women had amenorrhea lasting >12 months and symptoms of ovarian failure. CONCLUSION: HSCT in MS is an effective and relatively safe treatment option, with few serious complications and no mortality in Norway, so far. However, long-term adverse event with amenorrhea is a common problem.

[Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone]. / Nedsatt følsomhet for thyreoideahormon.

BACKGROUND: In conditions with impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone, reduced effect of thyroid hormone is attributable to various defects. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of these conditions, as well as to provide updated knowledge on impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone, also known as thyroid hormone resistance, with mutations in thyroid hormone receptor ß (TRß). MATERIAL AND METHOD: This article is based on a selection of English-language articles, and Norwegian original and review articles found in PubMed, and the authors' own experiences with this patient group. RESULTS: Thyroid hormone resistance has long been a recognised cause of the reduced effect of thyroid hormone. Several other conditions that involve impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormone have been described in recent decades, and mutations have been identified in genes that code for thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα), a cell membrane transporter, as well as in the deiodinases that metabolise thyroxine (T4) to the bioactive form triiodothyronine (T3). The conditions vary in terms of their clinical picture and biochemical profile. INTERPRETATION: Based on clinical and biochemical findings, thyroid hormone resistance may be erroneously interpreted as hyperthyroidism. In patients with thyroid hormone resistance, the condition may be exacerbated if it is treated as hyperthyroidism. It is therefore essential to recognise the conditions and their differential diagnoses.

[Neuromyelitis optica]. / Neuromyelitis optica.

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is characterized mainly by recurrent optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. The aim of this article is to present current knowledge on the clinical features, diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment of the condition. METHOD: The article is based on a discretionary selection of English-language original articles, meta-analyses and review articles found in PubMed, and on the authors' own experience with the patient group. RESULTS: Neuromyelitis optica was previously assumed to be a variant of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the discovery of aquaporin-4 antibodies in patients with neuromyelitis optica has led to this view being revised. The cause of the condition is still unknown, but it has been shown that the antibodies bind selectively to a water channel expressed mainly on astrocytes at the blood-brain-barrier, which has an important role in the regulation of brain volume and ion homeostasis. Clinically, the condition presents as optic neuritis and/or transverse myelitis. A diagnosis is made on the basis of case history, clinical examination, MRI of the brain and spinal cord, analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, visual evoked potentials and a blood test with analysis of aquaporin-4 antibodies. Once a diagnosis has been made, rapid treatment is important. In the acute phase, intravenous methylprednisolone is recommended. There are several options for preventative treatment, but the primary recommendations are oral prednisolone and azathioprine or intravenous infusion of rituximab. Treatment is distinct from the treatment of MS and some of the immunomodulatory drugs commonly used in MS can lead to worsening of neuromyelitis optica. INTERPRETATION: The condition is an important differential diagnosis of MS, but differs from MS in terms of clinical features, prognosis and treatment. Patients have a high risk of sequelae following relapses, and therefore early diagnosis and treatment is important.