title: Clinical and laboratory evaluation of patients with end-stage liver cell failure injected with bone marrow-derived hepatocyte-like cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the defining features of the liver is the capacity to maintain a constant size despite injury. Extrahepatic stem cells especially bone marrow-derived stem cells are thought to undertake an important role in liver repopulation. This study was carried out to evaluate the outcome of autologous bone marrow-derived hepatocytes transplantation in patients with end-stage liver cell failure due to chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients were included, divided into two groups. Group I: 20 patients receiving autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells stimulated to hepatic lineage. They were subdivided into two groups regarding the route of transplantation: intrasplenic (10) and intrahepatic (10). Group II: included 20 patients who received traditional supportive treatment. Patients were followed up using examination, laboratory investigations, abdominal ultrasonography, and evaluated by Child score, Model for End Stage Liver Disease score, fatigue scale, and performance status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed significant improvement in group I regarding ascites, lower limb edema, and serum albumin, over the control group. Group I also showed statistically significant improvement in Child score, Model for End Stage Liver Disease score, fatigue scale, and performance status over the controls. No difference was observed between intrahepatic and intrasplenic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the safety and short-term efficacy of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell injection in liver cell failure. Further study is necessary to standardize the cell dose, determine the life span of the injected cells, and detect the appearance of long-term complications.
authors: Department of Tropical Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Domeat, Eygpt.
authors: Mohie-Eldeen M
authors: ME
authors: Amer
authors: Samy Z
authors: SZ
authors: El-Sayed
authors: Wael Abou
authors: WA
authors: El-Kheir
authors: Hala
authors: H
authors: Gabr
authors: Ahmed A
authors: AA
authors: Gomaa
authors: Nabil
authors: N
authors: El-Noomani
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Hegazy
mesh_terms: D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome