Lupus occurs when the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks your own tissues and organs, making it an ‘autoimmune’ disease. The most common symptoms include rashes and joint pain, which are relatively treatable; however, more severe cases can lead to organ failure. The kidneys are often the first organs to fail in uncontrolled lupus, but organs in the cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, renal, and musculoskeletal systems can also be damaged.
To date, no cure exists for lupus. The disease is managed just like most other autoimmune diseases: through a regimen of anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. These strong drugs often carry harmful side effects that can reduce a patient’s quality of life; furthermore, they can sometimes still be ineffective at alleviating the patient’s symptoms.
Stem cell therapy is one of the most promising new paradigms in the treatment of lupus, especially for people who don’t respond to other treatments. An infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can help with Lupus in two ways. First, MSCs can reverse some of the damage by regenerating damaged cells and tissues; secondly, MSCs can modulate the immune system to make it less hyperactive.
Studies on the efficacy of stem cell treatment for lupus and other autoimmune diseases have been largely positive. In a trial involving 200 participants, 75% were observed to have benefited from stem cell treatment. This is higher than the success rate of the current standard lupus medications; additionally, the effects remained for over 24 months after treatment and adverse reactions were rare, with no severe reactions being reported.
When provided to Lupus patients, stem cell treatment has the potential to:
1) Lessen the debilitating long-term effects of lupus.
2) Reduce the need for medications like steroids, which have harmful side effects.
3) Stop damage to vital organs.
