Stem cell study seeks to prevent congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) diagnosis is the leading cause of hospitalization in the US and is responsible for more than 50,000 deaths a year. Currently, heart transplantation is the only available cure.

However, researchers believe that patients’ own bone marrow-derived stem cells, which are capable of secreting a variety of growth and survival factors, can improve cardiac function after a heart attack and fend off the development of CHF.

To date, several clinical trials in Europe have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of using adult stem cells for cardiac repair following acute myocardial infarction, but in most of the studies the heart attacks were small and unlikely to lead to the development of CHF. The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation study is being done in conjunction with the University of Minnesota and is intended to look exclusively at patients with moderate to large heart attacks, putting them at risk of developing CHF.

This first-of-its-kind study in the US is randomized and placebo-controlled, involving 60 patients with moderate to large anterior infarctions who will receive an intra-coronary infusion of their own stem cells or placebo. All patients will receive standard treatment including aspirin, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and statins.

The researchers will monitor patients for two years following stem cell treatment to determine whether stem cell therapy reduces scarring and improves cardiac function, as determined by cardiac MRI.