Five-year follow-up of the local autologous transplantation of CD133+ enriched bone marrow cells in patients with myocardial infarction

The implantation of a CD133+ bone marrow cell population into an ischemic myocardium has emerged as a promising therapeutic modality for myocardial regeneration and restoration of ventricular contractility. While previous studies have documented the short-term safety and efficacy of CD133+ cell transplantation in patients with acute myocardial infarction, there are few reports of long-term follow-up results. Here, we present the results of long-term follow-up of our acute myocardial infarction patients who were treated with intra-myocardial injection of CD133+ cells after coronary bypass graft. After five years, 13 patients in the cell transplantation group and 5 patients in the control group underwent safety and efficacy investigations by New York Heart Association classification and two-dimensional echocardiography [2D echo]. During the five-year study period, no major cardiac adverse events were reported among patients who received CD133+ stem cells. Regarding efficiency, we observed no statistically significant treatment effects for the echocardiographic parameters [left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, and resting ejection fraction] measured during the follow-up period. However, detailed analysis of regional wall motion revealed an improvement in the Wall Motion Score Index from baseline to the six month follow-up, which was maintained during the follow-up period. Taken together, the long-term results of the present study indicate that transplantation of CD133+ is a safe and feasible procedure; however, we could not show any major benefits in our patients. Thus, this issue needs to be addressed by conducting other studies with more patients

Coronary artery fistula from left circumflex to coronary

In this paper, we describe a case of an aneurysmal circumflex artery connected to the coronary sinus through a fistula in a 40-year-old man with a two-year history of palpitation and chest pain. We discussed surgical management for patients with coronary artery fistula [CAF], particularly for asymptomatic patients with a small left-to-right shunt

Clinicopathological features of primary central nervous system lymphoma

To investigate the anatomic location, immunologic, and clinicopathological features of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma [PCNSL]. From May 1993 to December 2004, at Shohada Hospital, Tehran, Iran, the clinical data of 110 PCNSL patients, including the age, sex, duration of symptoms, radiological findings, site of tumors, immune status, and history of immunocompromised state [such as organ transplantation, radiotherapy, steroid therapy or AIDS] were assessed. The mean age of the patients with PCNSL was 47.02 +/- 15.8 years. There were 42 female and 68 male patients. One hundred and six cases [96.3%] were diagnosed as B-cell lymphoma. Most of the PCNSL in our study are unifocal. More than 70% of tumors were in a cerebral hemisphere and periventricular location, usually involving the corpus callosum or basal ganglia. No patients had been in immunocompromised states. Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure or changes in personality, vision, or motor function are most common. Seizures are seen in approximately 10% of patients. The number of PCNSL cases showed a gradual rise in incidence. The results of this single hospital 12-year survey of PCNSL are in agreement with data from other single institutions and regional surveys concerning clinical features. However, in contrast with the literature, most of our patients were immunocompetent. The age at diagnosis is also lower than in most reports