Amit Patel, M.D., from the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the University of
Pittsburgh School of Medicine says their findings provide the first convincing
evidence that transplantation of adult stem cells that promote growth of blood
vessels and heart muscle can be a viable treatment for congestive heart
failure.
 The study involved 20 patients with severe heart failure who had ejection
fractions less than 35%. Ejection fraction is a standard measure of heart
function and is determined by the total amount of blood that the left ventricle
pumps out per heart beat. Each patient was scheduled for off-pump cardiac
bypass surgery; 10 were randomized to also receive stem cells during surgery.
The other 10 patients underwent the bypass operation alone.
 After undergoing anesthesia, those selected to receive stem cells had bone
marrow removed from their hipbones. While bypass surgery was taking place,
the particular stem cells that influence blood vessel and heart muscle growth
were isolated from other cells in the bone marrow. After the bypass was
complete, the surgeons then injected the cell preparation into 25~30 sites
where muscle damage was apparent.
 Before surgery, the average ejection fraction in the patients randomized to
bypass surgery alone was 30.7 percent with a range of 26~34%. The patients
randomized to receive stem cells in addition to bypass surgery had an average
ejection fraction of 29.4% before treatment.
 At one-, three- and six-month follow-up, the ejection fraction rates for the
stem cell patients were significantly improved compared to the other patients.
At one month, the stem cell patients improved to an average ejection fraction
of 42.1%; the patients who did not receive stem cells saw an improvement to
36.4% on average. Three months after surgery, the stem cell patients
continued to improve with an average ejection fraction of 45.5% compared to
a rate of 36.5% in the other patients. At six months, the average ejection
fraction rates were 46.1 and 37.2%, respectively, with ranges of 44~50% in
the stem cell patients and 33~44% in the bypass alone group.
■ 기사 요지 

 본지 자매지 `Atmedica`에 보도된 내용으로 美 피츠버그의대 아미트 파텔 교수팀이 미국흉
부외과학회에서 성인줄기세포의 심부전 치료효과에 관한 연구결과이다.
 중증 심부전환자 20명을 대상으로 심박동상태우회로술과 줄기세포이식 동시치료군 또는
우회로술 단일치료군으로 나눠 조사한 결과, 시술 6개월 후 환자들의 평균 박출계수 개선율
에 있어서 동시치료군이 46.1%로 우회로술군(37.2%)과 차이를 보였다. 정리·이상돈 기자
sdlee@kimsonline.co.kr
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