Photo Credit: Meletios Verras
The following is a summary of “A qualitative study on the experiences of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant for Multiple Sclerosis,” published in the November 2024 issue of Neurology by Davenport et al.
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a promising treatment option for people with highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) who do not respond to disease-modifying therapies.
Researchers conducted a prospective study to explore patient experiences with the HSCT process in MS.
They conducted semi-structured interviews online with 12 adults diagnosed with MS who had undergone autologous HSCT. The interviews aimed to capture the participants’ experiences in several areas, including the decision-making process regarding HSCT, the treatment journey, and the outcomes experienced post-treatment. Interview topics covered a range of emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of the process. Each interview was audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach to identify critical patterns and themes in the participants’ responses.
The results showed 3 main themes, first “Balancing hope and fear” highlighted the decision-making experience for HSCT, in the second place “Distinct emotional experience” focused on challenges during all treatment stages, and finally “Adjusting to outcomes” explored patient perspectives on post-treatment adjustment, ongoing MS-related uncertainty, and HSCT-related complications.
They concluded that holistic, patient-centered care was essential to support individuals with MS throughout the HSCT treatment process.
Source: msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(24)00741-7/abstract
