title: Effects of intracoronary stem cell transplantation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated clinical effects of intracoronary transplantation of CD34+ cells in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 55 patients with DCM, 28 were randomized to CD34+ transplantation (SC group), and 27 patients did not receive stem cell therapy (controls). 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the 2 groups did not differ in age, gender, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), or NT-proBNP levels. At 1 year, stem cell therapy was associated with an increase in LVEF (from 25.5 ± 7.5% to 30.1 ± 6.7%; P = .03), an increase in 6-minute walk distance (from 359 ± 104 m to 485 ± 127 m; P = .001), and a decrease in NT-proBNP (from 2069 ± 1996 pg/mL to 1037 ± 950 pg/mL; P = .01). The secondary endpoint of 1-year mortality or heart transplantation was lower in patients receiving SC therapy (2/28, 7%) than in controls (8/27, 30%) (P = .03), and SC therapy was the only independent predictor of outcome on multivariable analysis (P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intracoronary stem cell transplantation could lead to improved ventricular remodeling, better exercise tolerance and potentially improved survival in patients with DCM.
authors: Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation Center, Department of Cardiology, Ljubljana University Medical Center, Zaloska 7, Ljubljana, Slovenia. bojan.vrtovec@gmail.com
authors: Bojan
authors: B
authors: Vrtovec
authors: Gregor
authors: G
authors: Poglajen
authors: Matjaz
authors: M
authors: Sever
authors: Luka
authors: L
authors: Lezaic
authors: Dragoslav
authors: D
authors: Domanovic
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Cernelc
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Haddad
authors: Guillermo
authors: G
authors: Torre-Amione
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016896:Treatment Outcome