Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in autoimmune disease adult patients in France: analysis of the long-term outcome from the French Society for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC)

The use of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in autoimmune disease (AD) patients has increased progressively worldwide. We retrospectively analysed the long-term outcome of AHSCT for AD reported to the French Society for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC). All French AD patients (≥ 18 years at transplant) with a first AHSCT between 1997 and 2013 were included. Primary data were derived from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) registry, and additional data were obtained through a specific questionnaire designed for the study. Primary end-point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM). Ninety-four AD patients were included, of whom 71% suffered from rheumatologic diseases (n = 67, including 56 systemic sclerosis (SSc)), 16% from neurological disease (n = 15, including 14 multiple sclerosis (MS)) and 13% from various other AD (n = 12). After a median (interquartile range, IQR) follow-up of 83 months (38–130), OS at 5 and 10 years were 77% (95% CI 68.5–86.2) and 64% (95% CI 51.7–76.3), and for PFS 51% (95% CI 40.4–61.6) and 44% (95% CI 32.8–55.3), respectively. Overall, NRM was 8.7% (95% CI 4.0–15.5) at day 100, 9.8% (95% CI 4.8–16.9) at 5 years and 13.6% (95% CI 6.9–22.5) at 10 years. This first SFGM-TC retrospective report shows long-term benefit of AHSCT in AD patients with acceptable toxicity.