Does ex vivo CD34+ positive selection influence outcome after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in systemic sclerosis patients?

This EBMT Autoimmune Disease Working Party study aimed to evaluate the influence of CD34+ positive graft selection (CD34+) on the outcome of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT). Clinical and laboratory data from 138 SSc patients at diagnosis, before and after AHSCT were retrospectively analyzed. CD34+ selection was performed in 47.1% ( n =65) patients. By multivariate analysis adjusting for all factors differing between the two groups (without or with CD34+), there was no statistically significant difference in terms of overall survival (hazard ratio (HR): 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40–2.39, P =0.96), PFS (HR: 1.55, 95% CI 0.83–2.88, P =0.17) and incidence of relapse or progression (HR: 1.70, 95% CI 0.85–3.38, P =0.13). We demonstrate that CD34+ does not add benefit to the outcome of SSc patient treated with AHSCT. These findings should be further confirmed by prospective randomized trials.