New Cell Therapy Offers Potential Treatment Option for Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 01 Mar 2023 |
|
Chronic heart failure is a progressively worsening condition caused by a decrease of the strength and pumping power of the heart. The current treatments are primarily aimed at reversing the negative effects of the complex neurohormonal pathways that are activated as a result of poor heart function. The activated pathways eventually contribute to the worsening of the disease and lead to more frequent hospitalizations. Despite advances in therapies targeting these pathways, mortality rates are still high. Now, the largest cell therapy trial to date in patients with chronic heart failure owing to low ejection fraction has shown that the therapy benefited patients by improving the heart’s pumping ability, as measured by ejection fraction, and reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke, especially in patients with high levels of inflammation. In addition, a strong signal was found in the reduction of cardiovascular death in patients treated with cells.
In the landmark clinical trial, physician-scientists at The Texas Heart Institute (Houston, TX, USA) showed that a special immunomodulatory cell type called MPC (mesenchymal precursor cells) developed by Mesoblast Inc. (Melbourne, Australia) has the potential to tackle one of the largest contributors to heart failure, inflammation. Participants in the trial were already making use of all available state-of-the-art heart failure drugs, which suggests that MPC cell therapy could work synergistically and add to the current medication in an effective way. The exceptional mode of action of MPC offers an alternative approach that has the possibility of significantly reducing the high mortality rate associated with heart failure.
The findings of beneficial long-term outcomes for patients with chronic heart failure due to lower ejection fraction and weakened pumping function are a major breakthrough in cell therapy for cardiovascular diseases. The results can help identify which heart failure patients with inflammation have the highest risk and likelihood to benefit from MPC therapy, and these findings will be further investigated in future studies. The groundbreaking trial has established the groundwork for potentially adding cell therapy to the treatment options available for heart failure.
“The results of DREAM-HF are an important step in understanding how cell therapy provides benefits in patients with chronic heart failure due to poor pump function,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Emerson C. Perin, MD, Ph.D, Medical Director at The Texas Heart Institute. “The cells appear to work by reducing inflammation, increasing microvascular flow, and strengthening heart muscle. Locally, in the heart, the MPCs can protect cardiac muscle cells from dying and can improve blood flow and energetics. In large blood vessels throughout the body, the reduced inflammation resulting from the activation of MPCs may decrease plaque instability, which is what leads to heart attacks and strokes. The cells seem to have a systemic immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory effect.”
Related Links:
The Texas Heart Institute
Mesoblast Inc.
Latest Critical Care News
- Automated IV Labeling Solution Improves Infusion Safety and Efficiency
- First-Of-Its-Kind AI Tool Detects Pulmonary Hypertension from Standard ECGs
- 4D Digital Twin Heart Model Improves CRT Outcomes
- AI Turns Glucose Data Into Actionable Insights for Diabetes Care
- Microscale Wireless Implant Tracks Brain Activity Over Time
- Smart Mask Delivers Continuous, Battery-Free Breath Monitoring
- Routine Blood Pressure Readings May Identify Risk of Future Cognitive Decline
- CGM-Based Algorithm Enhances Insulin Dose Adjustment in Type 2 Diabetes
- Fish Scale–Based Implants Offer New Approach to Corneal Repair
- Dual-Function Wound Patch Combines Infection Sensing and Treatment
- Smartwatch Signals and Blood Tests Team Up for Early Warning on Insulin Resistance
- Smart Fabric Technology Aims to Prevent Pressure Injuries in Hospital Care
- Standardized Treatment Algorithm Improves Blood Pressure Control
- Combined Infection Control Strategy Limits Drug-Resistant Outbreak in NICU
- AI Helps Predict Which Heart-Failure Patients Will Worsen Within a Year
- Algorithm Allows Paramedics to Predict Brain Damage Risk After Cardiac Arrest
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
Machine Learning Approach Enhances Liver Cancer Risk Stratification
Hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer, is often detected late despite targeted surveillance programs. Current screening guidelines emphasize patients with known cirrhosis,... Read more
New AI Approach Monitors Brain Health Using Passive Wearable Data
Brain health spans cognitive and emotional functions and can fluctuate even in adults without diagnosed disease. Detecting early changes remains difficult in routine care and burdens specialty services... Read more
Surgical Techniques
view channel
Continuous Monitoring with Wearables Enhances Postoperative Patient Safety
Postoperative hypoxemia on general surgical wards is common and often missed by intermittent vital sign checks. Undetected low oxygen levels can delay recovery and raise the risk of complications that... Read more
New Approach Enables Customized Muscle Tissue Without Biomaterial Scaffolds
Volumetric muscle loss is a traumatic loss of skeletal muscle that often leads to permanent functional impairment and limited reconstructive options. Current experimental strategies struggle to deliver... Read more
Patient Care
view channel
Wearable Sleep Data Predict Adherence to Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disorder that makes breathing difficult and often disturbs sleep, reducing energy for daily activities. Limited engagement in pulmonary... Read more
Revolutionary Automatic IV-Line Flushing Device to Enhance Infusion Care
More than 80% of in-hospital patients receive intravenous (IV) therapy. Every dose of IV medicine delivered in a small volume (<250 mL) infusion bag should be followed by subsequent flushing to ensure... Read more
Health IT
view channel
EMR-Based Tool Predicts Graft Failure After Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplantation offers patients with end-stage kidney disease longer survival and better quality of life than dialysis, yet graft failure remains a major challenge. Although a successful transplant... Read more
Printable Molecule-Selective Nanoparticles Enable Mass Production of Wearable Biosensors
The future of medicine is likely to focus on the personalization of healthcare—understanding exactly what an individual requires and delivering the appropriate combination of nutrients, metabolites, and... Read more
Business
view channel
GE HealthCare Leads Major European Initiative to Advance Cardio-Oncology Care
Cardiovascular complications are increasingly recognized among people undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment, driven by pre‑existing disease and the cardiotoxic effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy,... Read more
