Hyperbaric Oxygen: an important treatment modality in severe hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a generally self-limited complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It may occur in the early or late posttransplant period and can promote sometimes severe morbidity. We analyzed our data regarding HC in allogeneic HSCT patients in order to establish the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in severe HC and to document the main problems during its use. METHODS: Between March 1993 and August 2006, 161 patients received allogeneic HSCT. Mesna, hyperhydration and forced diuresis were used as early HC prophylaxis of cyclophosphamide-induced HC. However, HC was diagnosed in 49 of the 161 recipients and 17 of them were considered as severe HC. We analyzed their data retrospectively. RESULTS: Forced diuresis with hyperhydration (up to 8 L/day) and transfusion support to maintain a platelet count above 30x109/L were sufficient in 10 of the 17 patients with severe HC. Alternative therapies used included intravesical irrigation with formalin and prostaglandin (PG)F2 alpha and HBO, and HBO appeared to be the most useful among them. CONCLUSION: We conclude that HBO offers a noninvasive therapeutic alternative in the management of intractable HC in the HSCT setting.

Intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell transplantation improves coronary collateral vessel formation and recruitment capacity in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: a combined hemodynamic and scintigraphic approach.

This study investigated the effects of intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BMC) transplantation on coronary microcirculation. Fifteen patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were treated by intracoronary infusion of BMCs via the patent infarct-related artery. The thermodilution-derived coronary flow reserve, index of microvascular resistance, pressure-derived collateral flow index, and coronary wedge pressure were measured at baseline and at 6 months. Successive balloon inflations during BMC transplantation were performed to observe the recruitment in pressure-derived collateral flow index and coronary wedge pressure, and the percentage changes between baseline and 6 months were calculated. The mean (SD) coronary flow reserve increased from 1.3 (0.4) to 2.1 (0.5), and the mean (SD) index of microvascular resistance decreased from 44.9 (24.4) to 21.2 (14.1) (P = .001 for both). The mean (SD) improvement in pressure-derived collateral flow index (from 0.14 [0.05] to 0.22 [0.08]) was also statistically significant (P = .001). Similarly, the percentage improvements in pressure-derived collateral flow index and coronary wedge pressure were statistically significant (P = .01 for both). The percentage improvement in perfusion assessed by single-photon emission computed tomography strongly correlated with the percentage changes in pressure-derived collateral flow index (r = 0.88, P = .001) and coronary wedge pressure (r = 0.69, P = .01). These results demonstrate for the first time (to our knowledge) that intracoronary autologous BMC transplantation improves coronary collateral vessel formation and recruitment capacity in human subjects.

[Intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived stem cell transplantation in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: results of 18-month follow-up]. / Iskemik kardiyomiyopatili hastalarda intrakoroner otolog kemik iligi kaynakli mononükleer kök hücre nakli: 18 aylik takip sonuçlari.

OBJECTIVES: It has been demonstrated that intracoronary stem cell transplantation may have beneficial effects on left ventricular function and perfusion both in patients with acute and chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICMP). We evaluated the safety and feasibility of intracoronary autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear stem cell (MSC) implantation in patients with ICMP. STUDY DESIGN: The study included 15 patients (14 males, 1 female; mean age 49+/-11 years) with ICMP. All the patients received MSC transplantation via a balloon catheter to the target vessel which had been revascularized by percutaneous coronary intervention and was patent before the procedure. Evaluations were made at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months after the procedure with complete clinical and laboratory examinations, and by treadmill exercise test, conventional echocardiography, and SPECT imaging. RESULTS: At six months, left ventricular ejection fraction increased significantly (p=0.001), hypoperfused areas on SPECT images reduced (p=0.002), and both myocardial oxygen consumption (p=0.001) and metabolic equivalents (p=0.001) increased. These beneficial effects of stem cell therapy were also observed at 12 and 18 months. No complications or in-hospital events occurred related with the procedure. CONCLUSION: Due to its beneficial effects on heart failure symptoms, left ventricular function, and perfusion, intracoronary stem cell transplantation can be used as an alternative, adjunctive treatment option in patients with ICMP.

Autologous stem cells collected after debulking by high dose chemotherapy in late phase chronic myeloid leukemia may improve Imatinib efficacy.

The current curative therapeutic option for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase is still allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). For the patients who are not candidates for allogeneic SCT, Imatinib is the treatment of choice. It was found that high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue prolongs the disease-free survival and may also restore sensitivity to interferon. Here we report the results of Imatinib treatment in three late-phase CML patients who were submitted to autologous SCT following resistance to interferon. Complete cytogenetic response and major molecular response were achieved in the three cases. Imatinib has the potential to induce late molecular remissions during the course of treatment and its effect may be optimized by a previous autologous SCT in this type of patients.