[Olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation for central nervous system diseases in 1,255 patients]

To analyze the therapeutic effect of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation for central nervous system diseases.

Between November 2001 and January 2008, 1,255 participants with central nervous system diseases were enrolled in this clinical study for fetal OECs transplantation. There were 928 males and 327 females aged 1.2-87 (mean 40) years. The course of disease was (4.52 +/- 4.67) years. Among them, 656 participants suffered from chronic spinal cord injury (SCI), 457 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), 68 cerebral palsy (CP), 20 multiple sclerosis (MS), 11 the sequelae of stoke, 10 ataxia, and 33 residual diseases. The participants came from 71 countries or regions. Accidentally abortional fetal olfactory bulbs were donated voluntarily and were cultured for 2 weeks, then were transplanted.

One thousand one hundred and twenty-eight cases were followed up for 2-8 weeks (mean 4 weeks) to obtain integrated data. Among them, the neurological functional amelioration was noticed in 994 participants with the overall short-term improvement rate of 88.12%. Seventy-six patients experienced the various perioperative complications with the incidence rate of 6.74%. One hundred and twenty patients with SCI received over 1 year follow-up. And according to ASIA assessment, motor scores increased from (39.82 +/- 20.25) to (44.55 +/- 18.99) points, light touch scores from (51.56 +/- 25.89) to (59.81 +/- 27.72) points, pain scores from (50.36 +/- 27.44) to (57.09 +/- 28.51) points for foreign patients (P < 0.05); motor scores increased from (40.52 +/- 20.80) to (46.45 +/- 20.35) points, light touch scores from (55.64 +/- 26.32) to (68.64 +/- 25.89) points, pain scores from (57.05 +/- 26.00) to (66.13 +/- 24.29) points for good rehabilitation Chinese patients (overall P < 0.05); motor scores from (37.03 +/- 18.52) to (38.03 +/- 18.50 points (P < 0.05), light touch scores from (45.88 +/- 22.56) to (46.63 +/- 23.09) points (P > 0.05), pain scores from (45.25 +/- 23.68) to (45.28 +/- 23.63) points (P > 0.05) for poor rehabilitation Chinese patients. Compared foreign patients and good rehabilitation Chinese patients with poor rehabilitation Chinese patients, difference in score change was remarkable (P < 0.05). One hundred and six cases of ALS, 32 CP, 8 MS, 7 ataxia, and 2 stroke sequelae were followed up for 3-48, 3-36, 2-20, 7-17, 6 and 24 months, One hundred and six cases of respectively. Majority of them (113/155, 72.9%) were benefited from OECs transplantation.

OECs transplantation into brain and spinal cord is feasible and safe . The therapeutic strategy is valuable treatment for such central nervous system diseases such as chronic SCI, ALS, CP and stroke sequelae and can improve the patients' neurological functions and/or decrease the progressive deterioration.