Rationale: CD34+ transplantation in dilated cardiomyopathy was associated withshort-term improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and exercise tolerance. Objective: We investigated long-term effects of intracoronary CD34+ cell transplantation in dilated cardiomyopathy and the relationship between intramyocardial cell homing and clinical response. Methods and Results: Of 110 dilated cardiomyopathy patients, 55 were randomized to receiveCD34+ stem cell transplantation (SC group) and 55 received no cell therapy (controls). In the SC group, CD34+ cells were mobilized by granulocytecolony-stimulating factor and collected via apheresis. Patients underwent myocardial scintigraphy and cells were injected in the artery supplying segments with the greatest perfusion defect. At baseline, 2 groups did not differ in age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, or N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide levels. At 5 years, stem cell therapy was associated with increased left ventricular ejection fraction (from 24.3 Ž 6.5%to 30.0 Ž 5.1%; P=0.02), increased 6-minute walk distance (from 344 Ž 90 mto 477 Ž 130 m; P(0.001), and decreased N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide(from 2322 Ž 1234 pg/mL to 1011 Ž 893 pg/mL; P(0.01). Left ventricular ejection fraction improvement was more significant in patients with higher myocardial homing of injected cells. During follow-up, 27 (25%) patients died and 9 (8%) underwent heart transplantation. Of the 27 deaths, 13 were attributed to pump failure and 14 were attributed to sudden cardiac death. Total mortality was lower in the SC group (14%) than in controls (35%; P=0.01). The same was true of pump failure (5% vs 18%; P=0.03), but not of sudden cardiac death (9% vs 16%; P=0.39). Conclusions: Intracoronary stem cell transplantation may be associated with improved ventricular function, exercise tolerance, and long-term survival in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Higher intramyocardial homing is associated with better stem cell therapy response.
COBISS.SI-ID: 883628
BACKGROUND: In an open-label blinded study, we compared intracoronary and transendocardial CD34(+) cell transplantation in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of the 40 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, 20 were randomized to receive intracoronary injection and 20 received transendocardial CD34(+) cell delivery. In both groups, CD34(+) cells were mobilized by filgrastim, collected via apheresis, and labeled with technetium-99m radioisotope for single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging. In the intracoronary group, cells were injected intracoronarily in the artery supplying segments of greater perfusion defect on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. In the transendocardial group, electroanatomic mapping was used to identify viable but dysfunctional myocardium, and transendocardial cell injections were performed. Nuclear single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging for quantification of myocardial retention was performed 18 hours thereafter. At baseline, groups did not differ in age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels. The number of CD34(+) cells was also comparable (105 ± 31 × 10(6) in the transendocardial group versus 103 ± 27 × 10(6) in the intracoronary group, P=0.62). At 18 hours after procedure, myocardial retention was higher in the transendocardial group (19.2 ± 4.8%) than in the intracoronary group (4.4 ± 1.2%, P(0.01). At 6 months, left ventricular ejection fraction improved more in the transendocardial group (+8.1 ± 4.3%) than in the intracoronary group (+4.2 ± 2.3%, P=0.03). The same pattern was observed for the 6-minute walk test distance (+125 ± 33 m in the transendocardial group versus +86 ± 13 m in the intracoronary group, P=0.03) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (-628 ± 211 versus -315 ± 133 pg/mL, P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, transendocardial CD34(+) cell transplantation is associated with higher myocardial retention rates and greater improvement in ventricular function, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and exercise capacity compared with intracoronary route. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01350310. KEYWORDS: cardiomyopathy, dilated, heart failure, stem cells
COBISS.SI-ID: 1268396
Background. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorocholine (FCH) is routinely performed in patients with prostate cancer. In this clinical context, foci of FCH uptake in the head or in the neck were considered as incidentalomas, except for those suggestive of multiple bone metastases. Case reports. In 8 patients the incidental focus corresponded to a benign tumour. The standard of truth was histologyin two cases, correlative imaging with MRI in four cases, 99mTc-SestaMIBI scintigraphy, ultrasonography and biochemistry in one case and biochemistry including PTH assay in one case. The final diagnosis of benign tumoursconsisted in 3 pituitary adenomas, 2 meningiomas, 2 hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands and 1 thyroid adenoma. Malignancy was proven histologically in 2 other patients: 1 papillary carcinoma of the thyroid and 1 cerebellar metastasis.Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, FCH uptake by pituitary adenomas or hyperfunctioning parathyroidglands has never been described previously. We thus discuss whether there might be a future indication for FCH PET/CT when one such tumour is already known or suspected: to detect a residual or recurrent pituitary adenoma aftersurgery, to guide surgery or radiotherapy of a meningioma or to localise a hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland. Inthese potential indications, comparative studies with reference PET tracers or with 99mTc-sestaMIBI in case of hyperparathyroidism could be undertaken.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1063084