This study randomized 120 patients with acute myocardial infarction after successful primary angioplasty with a residual ejection fraction (LVEF) <45%. An intracoronary infusion with fixed doses of bone marrow derived stem cells vs. placebo was administered (randomization 2:1) 3 days after infarction vs. 7 (randomization 1:1). The objective was to assess ventricular and contractile function of infarct and border zone with MRI at 6 months. LVEF showed no improvement in the stem cell group vs. placebo (p=0,96). Neither were there differences between those treated at 3 vs. 7 days.
Conclusion: A bone marrow derived stem cells infusion did not improve ventricular function after infarction.
Comment: Even though this trial on stem cells enrolled more patients than any other, it failed to show benefits in soft end points such as LVFF using MRI. Clinical end points in these kinds of studies remain elusive
Jay Traverse
2012-11-06
Original title: The Effect of Timing of Stem Cell Delivery Following Acute Myocardial Infarction: The NHLBI and CCTRN TIME Trial
