Heart failure is a serious condition that occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
Heart failure affects millions of people worldwide. It’s estimated that, in the US alone, over 6 million people have chronic heart failure.
Not only is heart failure often fatal, living with heart disease significantly impacts quality of life. The condition affects people of all ages and can occur gradually over time or suddenly. It’s caused by various factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
While traditional treatments for heart failure focus on managing symptoms, new research from the University of Chicago Medicine offers hope for a potential cure. In the study published in March 2023, researchers significantly reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke in severe heart failure patients.
The study is the largest clinical trial of stem cell therapy to date in patients with heart failure. Its results suggest a treatment that could significantly improve heart function and quality of life for those suffering from heart failure.
Up to 75% Reduction in Heart Attack or Stroke
Current treatment options include medication to control blood pressure, diuretics to reduce fluid build-up in the body, and lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and exercising regularly. While these treatments can help manage symptoms, they do not offer a cure.
The University of Chicago study took place between 2014 and 2019 and included 565 heart failure patients, aged 18 to 80, with weakened heart muscles. Patients were randomly assigned to either receive stem cell therapy or a placebo procedure at 51 study sites across North America.
During the stem cell therapy, patients were administered approximately 150 million mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through a catheter into their hearts. These cells were sourced from the bone marrow of three healthy young adult donors. Patients were then monitored for three years for heart-related events or life-threatening arrhythmias.
The study reports that, within a year, a small yet statistically significant improvement was seen in the strength of their hearts' left pumping chamber. Overall, patients experienced a reduced risk of heart attack or stroke of 58%, while those with high levels of inflammation benefitted from a reduction of up to 75%.
The study’s lead author, Doctor Emerson Perin, explained that when you put these stem cells into an inflamed heart, they activate cells that secrete various anti-inflammatories such as interleukins. The effects lasted an average of 30 months, which is deemed a long-term benefit when compared to other treatments.
Positive Steps for Heart Stem Cell Therapy
The study is a huge step forward in the treatment of heart failure. It suggests that stem cell therapy, when used in conjunction with heart failure drugs, can be a safe and beneficial way to reduce the main issues in this fatal condition.
The researchers found no major differences between the adverse events reported among the patients who received the stem cell therapy and those in the control group, as well as no major safety concerns with the procedures.
In looking ahead to the future of heart failure treatment, Doctor Perin states, “We have a new weapon against heart failure and this study really opens the door and leads the way for us to be able to get there.”
This “hypothesis-generating” study shows that stem cell therapy is a large part of this new weapon against heart failure, but that more clinical trials are needed to confirm the effects of these stem cells on heart attack, stroke, and other events.
