December 2025

RHEUMATOLOGY

REDUCED INTENSITY CONDITIONING STEM CELL TRANSPLANT SHOWS PROMISE FOR SSC PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT

In a study published to Arthritis & Rheumatology, Northwestern Medicine researchers, including Carrie Richardson, MD, evaluated the safety and efficacy of reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) prior to autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with cardiac involvement.

Key findings:
  • RIC AHSCT demonstrated 75% five-year overall survival (OS) and 59% progression-free survival (PFS).
  • Risk factors for worse outcomes included pre-transplant supplemental oxygen use, elevated BNP and anti-Scl-70 antibody positivity.
  • Patients without these risk factors achieved 91% five-year OS, indicating strong potential for improved safety in high-risk populations.

This study provides critical evidence that RIC AHSCT can be a viable option for patients with severe SSc and cardiac involvement, offering hope for improved outcomes in a challenging patient population.
Carrie Richardson, MD, Co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Scleroderma Program and ​Assistant Professor of Rheumatology at Northwestern Medicine

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