Russian Physician’s Guide to HSCT in Moscow

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There’s good news for anyone with multiple sclerosis who is considering undergoing HSCT, especially if that involves being treated in Russia.

And that’s because Denis Fedorenko, MD, who is in charge of the stem cell transplant program for MS patients, has put together a comprehensive guide to the whole procedure at the A.A. Maximov Department of Hematology and Cellular Therapy of the Pirogov National Medical Surgical Center, in Moscow.

Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT) for Autoimmune Diseases (AID) includes explanation of the general procedure, as well as detailed explanations of individual parts of the process. It also has a section devoted to the experience of the Russian team.

Other sections detail such topics as the Inclusion Criteria, Exclusion Criteria, Pre-Transplant Examination, and steps of the AHSCT treatment.

Here is one excerpt – the Inclusion Criteria:

• Systemic autoimmune diseases

o Diagnosed multiple sclerosis (all variants) with EDSS score between 1.5 and 6.5, documented progression/relapses over the previous year, with or without gadolinium-enhancing lesions.

o Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) with or without paraprotein

o Severe systemic vasculitis

o Systemic lupus erythematosus

o Systemic sclerosis

o Crohn’s disease

o Other severe systemic autoimmune conditions, including connective tissue diseases

• Age 16 – 70

• Adequate organ function

o Cardiac LV Ejection Fraction >45% o Total Lung capacity > 60%

o Pulmonary artery pressure < 45 mmHg

o DLCO/VA>50%

• Absence of severe chronic infections

• Negative serology HBV, HCV, HIV

• Absence of mental and cognitive deficits and ability to provide informed consent

• Absence of gross cognitive disturbances

• Absence of severe concomitant diseases

Three months ago, I visited the Maximov HSCT clinic to undergo tests to see if I could have the treatment. I saw the facilities and met and talked with Dr. Fedorenko, administrator Anastnasia Panchenko, other members of the team as well as patients.

My tests turned out to mean that HSCT was not suitable for me because of another health condition, But I have no hesitation in saying that, had it been possible, it is the treatment I would have chosen.

This article, written by me, was first published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today.

50shadesofsun.com is the personal website of Ian Franks, who is Managing Editor (columns division) of BioNews Services. BioNews is owner of 50 disease/disorder-specific news and information websites – including MS News Today. Ian has enjoyed a successful career as a journalist, from reporter to editor, in the print media. During that career he gained a Journalist of the Year award in his native UK. He was diagnosed with MS in 2002 but continued working until mobility problems forced him to retire early in late 2006. He now lives in the south of Spain. Besides MS, Ian is also able to write about both epilepsy and cardiovascular matters from a patient’s perspective and is a keen advocate on mobility and accessibility issues.