1. Intermediate-Intensity Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Reduces Serum Neurofilament Light Chains and Brain Atrophy in Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis
- Author
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Alice Mariottini, Leonardo Marchi, Chiara Innocenti, Maria Di Cristinzi, Matteo Pasca, Stefano Filippini, Alessandro Barilaro, Claudia Mechi, Arianna Fani, Benedetta Mazzanti, Tiziana Biagioli, Francesca Materozzi, Riccardo Saccardi, Luca Massacesi, and Anna Maria Repice
- Subjects
hematopoietic (stem) cell transplantation (HSCT) ,multiple sclerosis ,neurofilament light (NfL) ,biomarker ,brain atrophy ,PIRA ,Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ,RC346-429 - Abstract
BackgroundAutologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is highly effective in reducing new inflammatory activity in aggressive multiple sclerosis (MS). A remarkable decrease of serum neurofilament light chains (sNfL) concentration, a marker of axonal damage, was reported in MS following high-intensity regimen AHSCT, but hints for potential neurotoxicity had emerged. sNfL and brain atrophy were therefore analysed in a cohort of patients with aggressive MS treated with intermediate-intensity AHSCT, exploring whether sNfL might be a reliable marker of disability progression independent from new inflammation (i.e. relapses and/or new/gadolinium-enhancing MRI focal lesions).MethodssNfL concentrations were measured using SIMOA methodology in peripheral blood from relapsing-remitting (RR-) or secondary-progressive (SP-) MS patients undergoing AHSCT (MS AHSCT), collected before transplant and at months 6 and 24 following the procedure. sNfL measured at a single timepoint in SP-MS patients not treated with AHSCT without recent inflammatory activity (SP-MS CTRL) and healthy subjects (HD) were used as controls. The rate of brain volume loss (AR-BVL) was also evaluated by MRI in MS AHSCT cases.ResultsThirty-eight MS AHSCT (28 RR-MS; 10 SP-MS), 22 SP-MS CTRL and 19 HD were included. Baseline median sNfL concentrations were remarkably higher in the MS AHSCT than in the SP-MS CTRL and HD groups (p = 0.005 and
- Published
- 2022
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