China News Service, November 25 (Chen Jing Xi Xiaolei) Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation treatment has brought hope of cure for some rare disease children and their families.
The reporter learned on the 25th that Qiqi (a pseudonym), a 7-year-old girl suffering from a rare genetic disease, successfully received stem cell transplantation at the National Children's Medical Center and the Pediatric Hospital of Fudan University.
About 3 weeks after receiving cord blood stem cell reinfusion and transplantation, healthy donor cells grew up in Qiqi’s body. After testing, they completely replaced Qiqi’s original defective cells, and Qiqi’s rare disease was cured. She was reborn.
Professor Zhai Xiaowen, deputy dean of Fudan Children's Hospital, leader of the Department of Hematology, and head of the stem cell transplant team, told reporters on the 25th that Qiqi suffers from a rare genetic disease called STAT3 gene defect that leads to high IgE syndrome.
Such children are very rare, with an incidence rate of only one in a million. The conventional treatment methods are infection prevention and anti-infection treatment, and intravenous gamma globulin support treatment.
However, some children with severe symptoms like Qiqi have difficult to control infections and very poor quality of life.
It is reported that since Qiqi was born half a month ago, her body rashes and stomatitis have been recurring, and she has recurring skin and soft tissue abscesses, lung infections, otitis media, and lymphadenitis at around 1 year old.
Before the age of 6, Qiqi spent almost all of her time in the hospital. She was repeatedly hospitalized and undergone 4 surgical treatments. Qiqi's mother took Qiqi to seek medical treatment.
After Qiqi successfully received cord blood stem cell reinfusion and transplantation, about 3 weeks after the test, healthy donor cells completely replaced Qiqi's original defective cells.
After more than two months of observation and follow-up, Qiqi's immune function indicators gradually became normal, skin and lung infections gradually recovered, and Qiqi gained a new life.
On the 25th, medical staff held a celebration ceremony for the 7-year-old girl Qiqi to be discharged from the hospital and get a new life.
Qiqi created a painting to express her gratitude to the doctors and nurses.
It is reported that the National Children’s Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University have continued to promote the use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to treat rare pediatric diseases in recent years, especially childhood primary immunodeficiency disease, early childhood inflammatory bowel disease, and childhood adrenal white matter. A rare disease with a high fatality rate and a poor prognosis.
The hematopoietic stem cell transplantation team led by Professor Zhai Xiaowen has successfully treated more than 200 children with primary immunodeficiency in the past 7 years.
The hospital has become one of the children's medical centers with the largest number of transplant cases and the most complicated diseases of children with immunodeficiency diseases in China.
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