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Embargoed for 11:15 a.m. – Abstract 13940
Five years later: injected bone marrow cells safe, help heart recover after heart attack
Coronary infusion of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells into hearts days after a heart attack is safe and results in better recoveries five years later, according to new research. In a previous large study, REPAIR-AMI trial, a treatment using stem cells from a patient's bone marrow helped the heart muscle recover up to four months after a heart attack.
In a new analysis of the REPAIR-AMI trial, researchers assessed the therapy's long-term effects. They randomly assigned 204 heart attack patients to receive either bone marrow cell therapy or placebo after traditional heart attack treatment. In 62 participants, researchers analyzed heart function with an MRI at the start of the study, at four months and at five years.
Within the five-year follow up:
- Fewer recurrent heart attacks occurred in the bone marrow cell group (5 percent vs. 7 percent).
- Twenty patients in the placebo group needed revascularization procedures to open clogged arteries compared to 11 patients in the bone marrow cell therapy group.
- MRI data showed that the patients' heart muscles in the bone marrow cell therapy group were better functioning at the end of the study, compared to those who didn't receive the therapy.
- Fifteen patients in the placebo group died compared to seven in the bone marrow cell therapy group, which was not statistically significant.
However, researchers found no differences between the groups in sudden cardiac death, ventricular arrhythmias and cancer occurrence — as adverse reaction by intracoronary cell infusion.
SEE ALSO: Embargoed for 11:15 a.m. – Abstract 9834
Bone marrow cell therapy improves heart function in people with heart disease
Adult bone marrow cell therapy improved heart function and reduced heart size, recurrent heart attack and in-stent blood clots in people with heart disease, researchers found. The researchers analyzed 43 published studies looking at the effects of bone marrow cell therapy on the heart's pumping ability, heart size and patients' health.
Note: Actual presentation is 11 a.m. ET, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011.
Embargoed for 3 p.m. – Abstract 14530
Therapy using patient's bone marrow cells could save limbs with reduced blood flow
Bone marrow cell implantation from a patient is safe and significantly reduces the risk of limb amputation due to reduced blood flow, according to new research.
Buerger's disease, like peripheral artery disease, causes reduced blood flow to the limbs. It is a rare ailment in which arteries, nerves and veins usually in the legs become severely inflamed. Narrowing of the arteries blocks blood supply to the extremities, leading to gangrene and eventually limb amputation.
Japanese researchers evaluated 50 patients (average age 43): 24 with peripheral artery disease and 26 with Buerger's disease. Another 45 critical limb ischemic patients who didn't receive cell implantation were controls.
After four years, researchers found:
- 95 percent of Buerger's disease patients didn't require major amputation.
- 48 percent of peripheral artery disease patients didn't require major amputation.
- Only 6 percent in the Buerger's controls and none of the peripheral artery disease controls remained free of major amputation.
- Survival rates were 100 percent for Buerger's patients, 75 percent for peripheral artery disease and 62 percent for controls.
Embargoed for 3:45 p.m. – Abstract 15850
Mid-life fitness can lower risk of nonfatal chronic conditions later in old age
If you have a higher level of fitness in midlife, you can lower your risk of developing nonfatal chronic conditions in old age, researchers suggest.
The researchers found:
- Chronic conditions in 65.6 percent of those studied at age 80.
- Thirty-six percent lower risk of developing chronic conditions after age 65 for women in the high-fit versus low-fit category.
- Men in the high-fit category reduced the risk of developing chronic conditions by age 65 by 39 percent compared to those with low fitness.
Researchers studied 18,831 people, baseline age 49, who were free of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes at the start of the study in 1970. They followed the men and women until 2009, categorizing them into low-fit, intermediate-fit and high-fit fitness levels. They looked for the development of congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer.
Author disclosures are on the abstracts.
Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.heart.org/corporatefunding.
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