Intrathecal Injection of Peripherally Mobilized Blood Stem Cells to Treat Multiple Sclerosis

In this study, we analyzed 70 patients with worseningmultiple sclerosis despite pharmacologic treatment who were treated with several intrathecal injections of peripheral blood cells harvested by apheresis after granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment. Thirty-seven patients (52%) had a reduction of Expanded Disability Status Scale score; 10 patients had relapses, although these were milder than usual and more easily controlled by corticosteroids. Because mesenchymal cells increase in the peripheral blood after granulocyte-colony stimulating factor stimulation, a peripheral blood harvest seems easier and less costly than mesenchymal cell cultivation before injection. This seems to be a reasonable treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis.