New Delhi: Patients with weakened heart function following a heart attack may benefit from stem cell therapy, which has shown potential to reduce the risk of heart failure, according to a new study published in the BMJ.
Heart failure often develops when the heart muscle is severely damaged after a heart attack, reducing its ability to pump blood efficiently. This condition can arise suddenly as acute heart failure or gradually over time, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs and irregular heartbeat.
The clinical trial suggests that stem cell therapy administered soon after a heart attack could serve as an effective addition to standard treatment to prevent the onset of heart failure and minimise future cardiac complications.
An international team of researchers, including scientists from Queen Mary University of London conducted a study to evaluate the effects of delivering stem cells directly into the coronary arteries, a process known as intracoronary infusion, on the development of heart failure over three years.
The results indicate that this approach could be a valuable supplementary procedure for patients after a myocardial infarction to prevent heart failure and lower the risk of related cardiovascular events.
The trial involved 396 patients aged between 57 and 59 across three teaching hospitals in Iran, all of whom had experienced their first heart attack and had no prior heart conditions. Of these, 136 patients received an intracoronary infusion of Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells within three to seven days of the heart attack along with standard care, while 260 patients received only standard treatment.
Compared to the control group, those who received stem cell therapy showed a lower incidence of heart failure, fewer hospital readmissions for heart failure, and reduced combined rates of cardiovascular death and readmission due to heart attack or heart failure.
Although the therapy did not have a statistically significant effect on readmission for new heart attacks or deaths from cardiovascular disease, patients in the intervention group displayed a marked improvement in heart function within six months.
Researchers concluded that stem cell therapy could become a promising complementary treatment for patients after a heart attack, improving recovery and reducing the risk of heart failure.
However, they emphasised the need for further large-scale clinical trials to validate these findings and assess long-term safety and effectiveness.