In the SC group, peripheral blood CD34+ cells were mobilized by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and collected via apheresis. Patients underwent myocardial scintigraphy, and CD34+ cells were injected in the coronary artery supplying the segments with reduced viability. At 5 years, stem cell therapy was associated with an increase in LVEF (from 24.3±6.5% to 30.0±5.1%; P=0.02), an increase in 6-minute walk Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical distance (from 344±90 m to 477±130 m; P <0.001), and a decrease in NT-proBNP (from 2322±1234 pg/mL to 1011±893 pg/mL; P <0.01). During
follow-up, 27 (25%) patients died, and 9 (8%) underwent heart transplantation. Of the 27 deaths, 13 were attributed to pump failure and 14 to sudden cardiac death. Total mortality was lower in patients receiving SC therapy (8/55, 14%) than in Controls (19/55, 35%) (P=0.01). The same was true of the pump failure (3/55 vs. 10/55, P=0.03) but not of the sudden cardiac death (5/55 vs. 9/55, P=0.39). Thus, it appears that Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical intracoronary stem cell transplantation is associated with improved ventricular remodeling, better exercise tolerance,
and improved long-term survival in patients with Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical chronic heart failure due to nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusions Stem cell therapy appears to be a safe treatment modality in patients with chronic heart failure. In addition to the optimized Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical medical and device therapies, the available data suggest that stem cell therapy is associated with long-term product information improvement in cardiac function and exercise tolerance and a decrease in NT-proBNP, which may translate into improved outcomes for this patient cohort. done Further studies are needed to better define the underlying mechanisms, improve stem cell homing, and further improve the outcome
of patients with chronic heart failure, and large randomized trials are needed to validate the early findings. Funding Statement Funding/Support: The authors have no funding disclosures. Footnotes Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical The authors have completed and submitted the Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal Conflict of Interest Statement and none were reported.
A 38-year-old Entinostat Hispanic female with a history of hypertension and progressive shortness of breath underwent evaluation that included transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms. Images from both identified a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) with a mildly dilated right ventricle (RV) and preserved RV systolic function. The left upper and lower and right lower pulmonary veins were reportedly identified. The patient was referred to The Methodist Hospital’s cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) laboratory for further anatomic and hemodynamic assessment of the defect and possible other associated congenital abnormalities. A 2.0 x 1.