"We should consider BMSC treatment when LV dysfunction occurs despite successful percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with large anterior MI," Dr. Michal Plewka from Medical University, Lodz, told Reuters Health.

Dr. Plewka and colleagues used transthoracic echocardiography and speckle tracking imaging to assess LV systolic and diastolic function after intracoronary BMSC injection in 60 patients with a first anterior wall STEMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention.

During six months of follow-up, there were two cardiac-related deaths in the BMSC group and two in the control group, the authors report.

There were significant improvements in systolic myocardial velocities of LV basal segments in the BMSC group, but not in the control group.

LV ejection fraction improved significantly more in the BMSC group (10%) than in the control group (5%).

The BMSC group also had significant improvement in the mean average 2-dimensional systolic strain, whereas the improvement in the control group was not significant.

Moreover, the researchers note, BMSC injection was associated with improvements in diastolic function parameters, including early filling propagation velocity, early diastolic velocity, and the ratio of transmitral flow velocity to annular velocity.

"To investigate the safety and efficacy of intracoronary injection of mononuclear BMSCs, we have completed and are preparing now 2-year clinical follow-up data of our group for publication," Dr. Plewka said. "The results in terms of safety and combined clinical end-point are encouraging."

By Will Boggs, MD

Am J Cardiol 2009;104:1336-1342.

Last Updated: 2009-12-01 16:08:49 -0400 (Reuters Health)

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