Autologous stem cell transplantation in a systemic sclerosis patient with refractory interstitial lung involvement

Overview

Lung involvement in its interstitial and vascular form represents a serious manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and often determines the disease prognosis. As the most severe forms of SSc are often refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy, SSc is the second most common condition indicated to immunoablative treatment in the European registry of autologous bone marrow transplantations EBMT/EULAR je SSc. A case of 57-years old SSc patient with a severe interstitial lung involvement is described. Despite of repeated infusions of cyclophosphamide combined with corticosteroids progression of lung fibrosis and active alveolitis with a decrease of DLCO were observed. Therefore the patient was indicated to immunoablative treatment followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. The procedure was complicated by a massive lung hemorrhage but later regression of alevolitis according to HRCT scan was observed. Eight months later the patient died because of acute myocardial infarction. This is the first described case of SSc treated with stem cell transplant in the Czech Republic.

Key words:
systemic sclerosis, autologous stem cell transplatation, alveolitis, lung fibrosis