Similarity Between Multiple Sclerosis and Idiopathic Central Nervous System Dysfunction After Bone Marrow Transplantation.

The similarities between multiple sclerosis and idiopathic central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction after bone marrow transplantation were studied. Three patients who developed CNS dysfunction without an identified cause after bone marrow transplantation were assessed for the levels of various cytokines, evidence of viral infection, and their human leukocyte antigen status. Tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ levels were increased in all three patients when their CNS symptoms occurred. In addition, reactivation of human herpesvirus-6 occurred in all three patients before the onset of CNS symptoms. Furthermore, they all had at least one of the following human leukocyte antigens: A3, B7, DR2, and DRB1: 1501. These findings suggest that the mechanism of CNS dysfunction after bone marrow transplantation has some similarities to that causing multiple sclerosis.