Mesenchymal stem cells may improve quality of life for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy

In this study, patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy and EF <50% on optimal medical therapy were randomized to autologous culture expanded mesenchymal cells (n=22), autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (n=22) or placebo vehicle (n=21) delivered by transendocardial stem cell injection (TESI). There were no serious adverse events among any patients undergoing a TESI procedure. Rates of major adverse cardiovascular events did not vary between groups. A possible signal of improved quality of life was observed following treatment with either of the cell types. At one year, a repeated measures model demonstrated the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure score had improved following treatment with mesenchymal (–6.3; 95% CI –15.0 to 2.4, P=0.02) or bone marrow cells (–8.2; 95% CI –17.4 to 0.97, P=0.005) but not …