Autoimmune Diseases

Neurological Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune diseases can take several different forms, and even within the same disease type, the progression and severity of symptoms can vary greatly from patient to patient. In some patients, symptoms will develop rapidly, and they may fail conventional therapy. These patients may be eligible for high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHCT) as part of a clinical trial or as standard therapy.

More information on the clinical trials available now at CBCI

Here are some of the most common autoimmune conditions we treat:

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks and eventually destroys the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Most people with MS have an initial immune attack, followed by a period of stability. As time goes on, they might have episodes of new and worsening symptoms with failure of conventional therapy.

MS includes these subtypes:

Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS)
Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS)
Secondary progressive MS (SPMS)
Primary Progressive MS (PPMS)

MS Symptoms: MS can cause loss of vision, weakness or incoordination, loss or changes in sensation, problems thinking or remembering things, urinary incontinence and other disabilities. While there are more than a dozen approved medicines to treat relapsing-remitting forms of MS, some people do not respond to treatment, which is why doctors are actively researching other new drugs and treatments, and doing clinical trials including the BEAT-MS study.

Recommendations for Relapsing/Remitting MS: Dr. Richard Nash helped to write a position statement released in 2019 by the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). In it, MS neurologists and transplant physicians reviewed recent studies and trials and recommended high-dose chemotherapy and AHCT (stem cell transplant) for the treatment of active relapsing forms of MS in patients who have failed previous conventional therapy, to prevent further clinical relapses, brain lesions, and worsening disability. The report stated that “Based on the available evidence, the ASTCT recommends that treatment-refractory relapsing MS with high risk of future disability be considered a ‘standard of care, clinical evidence available’ indication for AHSCT.”

In November 2020, the National MS Society released recommendations for AHSCT in MS patients. This article reviews the evidence related to the optimal use of AHSCT in MS patients. Highlights of this article include:

There is growing evidence that AHSCT is not for everyone with MS but may be highly effective for people with relapsing MS who meet specific characteristics.
The committee outlines what is known and not known about aHSCT in MS, and makes recommendations for its use and for further research

Please click on the links below for further published studies:

ASTCT position statement: BBMT
HALT- MS outcomes: Neurology
JAMA: JAMA Network

CBCI offers stem cell transplant for patient who meet criteria both on and off clinical trials. Please view the criteria for stem cell transplant for MS.

To be screened for autoimmune stem cell transplant at CBCI, please call: (303) 577-6488

Now Open: BEAT-MS: The BEAT-MS clinical trial is a study conducted by the Immune Tolerance Network and supported by the NIH (NIAID). The BEAT-MS clinical trial will compare the most effective medicines regularly used to treat MS (called “best available therapy”) to high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). Patients will be randomized between best available therapies and stem cell transplant. We are opening this clinical trial in conjunction with the University of Colorado Anschutz.

More information on BEAT-MS:BEAT-MS.org

Clinicaltrials.gov

To be screened for BEAT-MS in Colorado, please contact the University of Colorado Anschutz neurology research team at (303) 724-4644 or neurologyresearchpartners@cuanschutz.edu

Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)

Also called Stiff Man syndrome, stiff person syndrome is a rare condition affecting the nervous system, primarily the brain and spinal cord. The syndrome is progressive and painful and affects twice as many women as men. The symptoms may include extreme muscle stiffness, rigidity and spasms both the trunk and limbs that make it extremely hard to move around. Most people with SPS experience symptoms between age 30 and 60 and eventually become disabled.
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Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by muscle weakness in the arms and legs as well as the muscles used for breathing. Oftentimes muscles used to control eye and eyelid movement, facial expressions, talking, chewing and swallowing are also affected. The muscle weakness is worse after doing a lot of activity and usually improves with rest. Along with weakness in the arms, hands, fingers, leg and neck, symptoms can include drooping of one or both eyelids, changes in facial expression, blurred or even double vision, shortness of breath, impaired speech and trouble swallowing.
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Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, or CIDP, is a neurological disorder that targets the nerves in your body. It's caused by nerves and nerve roots that get inflamed. While symptoms can vary from person to person, the most common ones include feeling tired, slow reflexes, and weak arms and legs. There also might be numbness and pain. Symptoms must persist for at least eight weeks for CIDP to be considered. CIDP is most common in older adults. Men are diagnosed with it more often than women.
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We treat other rare autoimmune central or peripheral nervous system disorders, including:

Primary CNS Vasculitis
Rasmussen's Encephalitis
Autoimmune Peripheral Neuropathy
Autoimmune Cerebellar Degeneration
Gait Ataxia with Late Age Onset Polyneuropathy (GALOP)
Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome
HTLV-1- Associated Myelopathy (HAM)/ Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (TSP)
Opsoclonus/ Myoclonus (Anti-Ri)
Neuromyelitis Optica