It’s official! A recent study completed by the University of Miami has shown for the first time that heart damage can be reversed by being injected with stem cells. The program involves eight middle-aged male volunteers with chronically enlarged, low-functioning hearts. University researchers used a catheter to inject stem cells removed from a single healthy donor. While the study is the first of its kind and remains in its early stages, the researchers have already documented a significant reduction in size, scar tissue, and a notable improvement in heart function.
The results of the study will serve as a beacon of hope for many, as current estimates suggest that over 5 million Americans have enlarged hearts as a result of damage sustained from previous heart attacks. At this time, the only treatment options for this condition are a lifelong regimen of expensive medication or major surgery, including a total heart transplant.
Even more intriguing is the fact that the patients with largest infarcts (most damage to the heart) experienced the most drastic improvements in both form and function. Chief researcher Joseph M. Hale suggests that because the stem cells respond to those areas of the heart which send out a physiological form of a “distress signal,” it is possible that areas with more severe damage send out a stronger signal, thus attracting more stem cells to help repair the area. With a higher number of stem cells contributing, these patients often see a faster and more noticeable improvement in their condition.
While the report does have the whole medical community buzzing, Hale would like to remind us that the study is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, the latest issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology expresses their optimism, “Many questions remain, but there is excitement in what the future holds with regard to advances in this field.”
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