HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: ard.2005.035410v1 65/1/127    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maurer, B Articles by Lorenz, H M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maurer, B Articles by Lorenz, H M

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for Behçet’s disease with pulmonary involvement: analysis after 5 years of follow up

Department of Internal Medicine, Unit V (Haematology, Oncology and Rheumatology), University of Heidelberg, INF 410, 6910 Heidelberg, Germany

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor H M Lorenz
hannes_lorenz{at}med.uni-heidelberg.de

ABSTRACT
Background: Myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may provide a therapeutic option in severe Behçet’s disease (BD) with pulmonary involvement.

Case reports: Two patients with BD with pulmonary involvement refractory to conventional immunosuppressive treatment underwent HSCT 1999. Stem cells were mobilised with cyclophosphamide (2 and 4 g/m²) and subsequently enriched ex vivo for CD34+ cells. The conditioning regimen used was melphalan (200 mg/m²). Outcome was measured by improvement of clinical features, function of affected organs, serological markers, need for immunosuppressive chemotherapy after transplant, and relapse. In both cases HSCT was successful, with good response and without serious complications. After 5 years of follow up one patient is in complete remission without immunosuppressive drugs and one has partial remission, needing low dose corticosteroids (8 mg/day).

Conclusion: In these two patients myeloablative chemotherapy, followed by HSCT could be performed safely with marked improvement. In comparison with other observational studies the duration of more than 5 years of remission is remarkable, and its full duration is still unknown.

Abbreviations: BD, Behçet’s disease; G-CSF, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor; HSCT, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; TNF, tumour necrosis factor

Keywords: Behçet’s disease; autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; pulmonary disease

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L Statkute, Y Oyama, W G Barr, R Sufit, S Ho, L Verda, Y Loh, K Yaung, K Quigley, and R K Burt Autologous non-myeloablative haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for refractory systemic vasculitis Ann Rheum Dis, July 1, 2008; 67(7): 991 - 997. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Daikeler, I. Kotter, C. Bocelli Tyndall, J. Apperley, A. Attarbaschi, P. Guardiola, A. Gratwohl, E. Jantunen, A. Marmont, F. Porretto, et al. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for vasculitis including Behcet's disease and polychondritis: a retrospective analysis of patients recorded in the European Bone Marrow Transplantation and European League Against Rheumatism databases and a review of the literature Ann Rheum Dis, February 1, 2007; 66(2): 202 - 207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]