Autologous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Transplantation for Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease in the Elderly

Totally 76 elderly patients with myocardial infarction, who were treated at the Department of Cardiology, Henan People's Hospital, were enrolled from June 2003 to November 2007, Of them, 46 received bone marrow stem cell transplantation, including 34 males and 12 females. Except conventional treatment, bone marrow mononuclear cells were injected into the coronary artery via a catheter during coronary arteriography. Thirty who did not undergo bone marrow stem cell transplantation, including twenty-two males and eight females were only subjected to conventional treatment. After one-year follow-up, thoracal ultrasoundcardiogram showed left ventricular ejection fraction increased from (43.1±5.6)%, (44.9±7.5)% before treatment to (54.8±4.6)%, (50.1±7.1)% in the bone marrow stem cell transplantation and control groups. Levels of plasma brain natriuretic peptide decreased from (696±102), (680±93) ng/L before treatment to (303±89), (396±88) ng/L in the bone marrow stem cell transplantation and control groups. Single-photon-emission computed tomography demonstrated that the sizes of myocardial perfusion defect decreased from (25.8±8.5)%, (26.2±6.4)% to (14.8±4.6)%, (20.4±7.3)% in the bone marrow stem cell transplantation and control groups. No complication was detected during and after transplantation in the bone marrow stern cell transplantation group. Percutaneous transplantation of autologous bone marrow stem cells for treating elder patients with myocardial infarction is sate and feasible, which resulted in improvement in left ventricular systolic function and myocardial perfusion.