Intracoronary infusion of mononuclear bone marrow-derived stem cells is associated with a lower plaque burden after four years

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Regenerative Medicine
• Interventional Cardiology

Background:

• Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can lead to long-term cardiovascular complications, including the progression of atherosclerosis.
• Stem cell (SC) therapy is being investigated as a potential treatment to improve outcomes after AMI.
• The long-term impact of SC infusion on the local atherosclerotic process remains an area of active research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the four-year effects of intracoronary stem cell (SC) infusion on the atherosclerotic process at the infusion site in patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Main Methods:

• A study involving 18 post-AMI patients, divided into two groups: one receiving autologous mononuclear SC intracoronary injection and a control group receiving a placebo.
• Assessment of plaque count, plaque burden (PB), and coronary calcium score (CCS) using multislice 64 CT angiography four years post-injection.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving SC infusion showed significantly lower total plaque burden (PB) and coronary calcium scores (CCS) distal to the infusion site compared to the placebo group.
• The mean PB and CCS per coronary artery were substantially reduced in the SC group four years after treatment.
• Within the SC group, the coronary segment infused with SC exhibited significantly lower mean PB and CCS compared to other coronary territories.

Conclusions:

• Four-year follow-up using multislice CT angiography in post-AMI patients indicates that intracoronary SC infusion leads to a significant reduction in atheromatous plaque burden.
• The observed decrease in plaque volume and CCS at the SC infusion site suggests a localized beneficial effect of stem cell therapy on atherosclerosis progression.