Long-term endoscopic remission of Crohn disease after autologous stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukaemia

• A favourable course of Crohn disease has been observed after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, and there is now mounting evidence that autologous stem cell may be an effective treatment for severe autoimmune diseases. Here, we present the first long-term endoscopic follow-up of a patient with Crohn disease undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation for haematological disease. A 54-year-old woman developed Crohn disease and was submitted to ileocaecal resection. Four months after surgery, the patient contracted acute myeloid leukaemia. She was initially treated with chemotherapy, and subsequently underwent autologous stem cell transplantation. Following transplantation, the patient has remained in clinical remission regarding both diseases, without anti-inflammatory medication. She has undergone ileo-colonoscopy with normal findings at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years after transplantation. This case suggests that autologous stem cell transplantation can change not only the clinical course, but also the natural history of intestinal inflammation in Crohn disease. This has pathophysiological as well as therapeutic implications.

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