Autologous Stem Cells Improve Outcome After Myocardial Infarction

Injection of autologous bone marrow stem cells into the coronary arteries improves outcome after a myocardial infarction, according to the results of the BOOST randomized trial published in the July 10 issue of The Lancet. 'Our results lend support to the concept that autologous bone-marrow cells can be used to enhance left-ventricular functional recovery in patients after acute myocardial infarction,' senior author Helmut Drexler, from the University of Freiburg in Germany, says in a news release. 'Larger trials are needed to address the effect of bone-marrow cell transfer on clinical end points such as the incidence of heart failure and survival. Read more >>