Update cardiac stem cell therapy

Chronic ischemic heart disease remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although revascularisation procedures and conventional drug therapy may delay ventricular remodelling, there is no basic therapeutic regime available to prevent or even reverse this process. Chronic coronary artery disease and heart failure impair quality of life and are associated with subsequent worsening of left ventricular function. In the recent past experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated the capacity of bone marrow stem cells in cardiac repair and regeneration of compromised heart muscle. Several clinical trials showed the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation in the patients with acute myocardial infarction or chronic ischemic heart disease. Today the therapeutic strategy of cell administration during cardiac surgery or coronary artery intervention is entering the clinical practice. Biological as well as methodological backgrounds, indications and clinical results of cardiac stem cell therapy for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and chronic ischemic heart disease are reviewed.