Stem Cell Remedies Heart Failure

A research study of 16 patients with heart failure showed substantial and long-term improvement after stem cell therapy using stem cells from their own bodies was infused into scarred regions of their hearts. The patients’ heart failure was shown by measurements of how much blood the heart's left ventricle was able to pump out with each contraction. The patients all had a left ventricle ejection fraction of 40 percent or lower. A left ventricle ejection fraction of 50 percent or higher is considered to be normal.

For the stem cell therapy, the stem cells were purified and grown in number. They were then re-infused into the regions of the patients' hearts that had been scarred by their heart attacks. After only four months, the left ventricle ejection fraction of the patients rose from 30.3 percent to 38.5 percent. Just one year after the re-infusion of the stem cells, eight of the patients showed even more remarkable improvement. MRI scans also showed a significant decrease of the scarring in the heart. This finding refuted the long-held belief that after scarring occurs, the heart tissue is permanently dead.

There were very promising results from the study. Dr. John H. Loughran, one author of the study, noted that one of the patients could barely walk 30 feet before the stem cell therapy, and now plays basketball with his granddaughter, performs farm work, and runs on the treadmill a few times a week.

Researcher Dr. Roberto Bolli, director of cardiology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky and a main researcher on the study, noted that this could be a huge revolution in cardiovascular medicine if the results continue. Another question is whether the cells are actually replacing damaged cells in the heart or are secreting molecules that are helping to heal the heart.

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111115/Stem-cell-therapy-remedies-heart-failure-Study.aspx