Intra-Arterial Injection of Autologous Bone Marrow-Derived Mononuclear Cells in Ischemic Stroke Patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to show the positive effects of autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells in the functional recovery of adult patients with subacute and chronic ischemic stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and long-term disability in the world, with about one-third of survivors being permanently disabled. Bone marrowderived mononuclear cell concentrate is thought to improve cerebral blood flow and to speed recovery in animal models. Many types of stem cells have been used, including mesenchymal, cord blood cells, and embryonic, with different administration methods, including intrathecal, intravenous, intraarterial, and intracerebral, all with variable degrees of success. Mechanisms of action include induction of angio genesis, promotion of neurogenesis, prevention of apoptosis, and immunomodulation. The use of autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells with the closed method has nearly minimal manipulation requirements and is a low-risk procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We aspirated 100 cm³ (mean volume) of bone marrow from 37 (12 women/25 men) Iraqi adult patients (age range, 42-80 y). After filtration, we injected a small volume (15 cm3) intraarterially through a catheter in the internal carotid arteries. The remaining volume was injected intravenously. Mononuclear cell count was 5 to 6 × 108 per product. Time from diagnosis until transplant procedure ranged from 3 months to 5 years. RESULTS: Intra-arterial administration of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells resulted in improvements in the European Stroke Scale (from +4 to 20) in 25 of 37 patients (67.5%) over 4 to 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Stem cell therapy is promising in subacute and chronic stroke patients.

First Report on Stem Cell Transplant From Iraq.

The Iraqi Bone Marrow Transplantation Center is located in the medical city complex of Bab Almuadham in Baghdad, Iraq. It was established on March 11, 2002, and performed its first mini-allotransplant for acute myeloid leukemia on January 24, 2003. Among 16 patients who received hematopoietic stem cell transplant between January 2003 and January 2010, one patient underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia and 15 patients received autologous bone marrow transplant for the following indications: 5 had multiple myeloma, 9 had lymphoma (8 with Hodgkin disease and 1 with non- Hodgkin lymphoma), and 1 had rhabdomyosarcoma. Median age was 34 years (range, 10-56 y), and our patient group included 8 females and 8 males. Of the 16 patients, 12 are still alive. The mortality rate was 25% as measured during our follow-up from 2 to 96 months. Of the 9 patients with lymphoma, 1 died and 2 relapsed after transplant. Therefore, our survival rate in lymphoma was 88%, with progression-free survival in lymphoma ranging from 2 to 66 months (mean survival of 13 mo, mode of 13 mo). For the 5 patients with multiple myeloma who received transplants, 1 died and 2 relapsed, with effective-free survival of 6 to 13 months. Our results show that high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant can induce long-term disease control in this cohort of patients with refractory or advanced Hodgkin disease; progression-free survival for our cohort was 50%, with survival comparable to those reported in the literature.

Intrathecal Injection of Peripherally Mobilized Blood Stem Cells to Treat Multiple Sclerosis.

In this study, we analyzed 70 patients with worseningmultiple sclerosis despite pharmacologic treatment who were treated with several intrathecal injections of peripheral blood cells harvested by apheresis after granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment. Thirty-seven patients (52%) had a reduction of Expanded Disability Status Scale score; 10 patients had relapses, although these were milder than usual and more easily controlled by corticosteroids. Because mesenchymal cells increase in the peripheral blood after granulocyte-colony stimulating factor stimulation, a peripheral blood harvest seems easier and less costly than mesenchymal cell cultivation before injection. This seems to be a reasonable treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis.

Clinical outcome of 50 progressive multiple sclerosis patients treated with cellular therapy in iraq.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Multiple Sclerosis is a disease characterized by multifocal areas of demyelination in the brain and spinal cord, with associated inflammatory cell infiltrates, reactive gliosis, and axonal degeneration. It typically presents in young adults with episodic neurologic dysfunction, our aim is to find new simple method to treat multiple sclerosis by hematopoietic stem cells derived from peripheral blood. METHODS AND RESULTS: 50 patients suffering from multiple sclerosis worsening despite pharmacological treatment were treated by means of several intrathecal injections of peripheral blood cells harvested by aphaeresis after G-CSF(granulocyte colony stimulating factor) treatment. 24 patients (48% ) had a reduction of EDSS score. 8 patients had a relapse, but it was milder than usual and more easily controlled by cortisone. CONCLUSIONS: Since mesenchymal cells increase in the peripheral blood after G-CSF stimulation, a peripheral blood harvest seems easier and cheaper than mesenchymal cells cultivation prior to the injection. It seems a reasonable treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis.