Stem Cells for Heart Attack Survivors

New evidence suggests that adult stem cells may help repair heart tissue that has been damaged by a heart attack.

In the phase I study, researchers collected adult mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow of healthy donors. Then the drug manufacturer Osiris Therapeutics purified the stem cells into a formula (Prochymal™) that could be injected into patients. Unlike many other biological therapies, the donor mesenchymal stem cells do not need to match the blood type of the recipient.

The study included 53 adults who had heart attacks in the previous 10 days. The participants were randomly assigned to receive an infusion of either Prochymal™ or placebo.

During the two-year follow-up period, echocardiograms and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed to evaluate heart function. Pulmonary function tests were performed to evaluate lung function.

According to the authors, patients in the stem cell group were four times more likely to have improved overall heart function compared to the control group. Their hearts pumped more efficiently and had 25 perfect fewer irregular heartbeats than the control group. Lung function also improved in the stem cell group. There were no reports of toxicity or other serious side effects.

The authors suspect that the stem cells may facilitate the growth of new blood vessels, which bring blood to the heart.

Although promising, additional research is warranted in this area. The researchers are now recruiting patients for the second phase of the study.

For more information about different types of stem cells, please visit Natural Standard's Genomics & Proteomics database.

Comments

[Grace Caulfield]

This is such an amazing discovery! I find it even more amazing that the blood types don’t need to match. This takes away much of the limitations of older therapies.

[Mir]

Another point for the stem cell research supporters and another blow for the opponents. Let the stem cell research continue!

[DF]

Very encouraging news for heart attack survivors. As the Obama administration expands government support for stem cell research, I look forward to hearing about more advances.

[k]

I am very impressed that stem cell research is progressing this far. It is astonishing that such a seemingly invasive procedure requires no blood type matching or immunosuppression. The concept behind this procedure makes sense, considering a heart attack causes multiple regions of the heart to become deprived of oxygen for a period of time thus damaging/killing the tissue. Using stem cells to regenerate the damaged tissue may allow patients to regain completely normal heart function without the need for many of the medications currently prescribed for life after a heart attack. This science is using stem cells in the proper manner and I hope to see more procedures like it emerge.

[np]

This is definitely a promising discovery. Patients with heart attacks have to be on various medications to prevent another one from occurring. Also, some patients might have stents placed in their arteries to help keep the arteries open for proper blood flow to the heart. With stent placements, some patients still end up getting “restonosis” of their arteries (having their stents clogged again). Thus, the use of stem cell research to help damaged heart tissue and restore normal heart function is promising!

[P. P. Mary]

The ability of stem cells is amazing. The fact that these tiny little cells can transform into any tissue is crazy! This is great news in the world of medicine, and hopefully, it will lead to promising new treatments for patients who have survived heart attacks.

[Luba]

This is a great study. Stem cell research is very promising, and I believe that the use of stem cells can lead to improved cure rates of many disease states, cardiovascular disease being one of them. I wonder what the researchers are seeing in phase II of this study?

[Extremely Motivated]

This study has shown some amazing results. I understand that people are always cautious of using stem cell therapy. As a society, we need to craft rules for use before the science runs away with it. I was so glad to hear that the ban on stem cell research had been lifted by the Obama administration. Being on the forefront of science, research and development has always made our country one of the greatest. It has fostered new ideas, therapies and inventions that we so sorely need in these times of economic uncertainty.