title: [Cardiac stem cell therapy for the treatment of chronic stable angina refractory to conventional therapy. State of the art and current clinical experience of the San Raffaele Hospital of Milan, Italy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac stem cell therapy is a field of scientific research with the goal to translate into clinical benefit the initial findings obtained in basic research laboratories. We have moved into clinical trials in different disease categories: acute myocardial infarction, chronic stable angina refractory to conventional therapy and heart failure. So far we have faced with contradictory results. Some previous studies suggested that bone marrow cell injection may improve myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paper we present a brief review about stem cell use in clinical cardiology and describe our research protocol evaluating the effects of direct intramyocardial injection of autologous bone marrow cells (CD34+ selected cells versus all mononuclear cells) in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary results show that this procedure seems to be safe and generally well tolerated by patients. An improvement in symptoms, in the first 6 months, appears to be achieved in approximately 50% of patients, with concomitant improvement of quantitative scintigraphic stress test imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before drawing any definitive conclusions, we need to wait for the end of enrollment and unblinding of study randomization.
authors.affiliation: Unità di Cardiologia-Emodinamica, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano. cosmogodino@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cosmo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godino
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Briguori
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Airoldi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toia
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saolini
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cera
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fragasso
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Imros
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salomoni
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Todeschini
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Samanes Gajate
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianolli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oppizzi
authors.forename: Maurizio C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Capogrossi
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Condorelli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000628:therapy*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000379:methods; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome