Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Pilot Study.

Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) have been introduced as a possible therapy in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We report a 16-year-old boy who was treated with WJ-MSCs in the course of HIE due to post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He received a long period of mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy with spastic quadriparesis. He underwent the intrathecal (1×106/kg in 3 mL), intramuscular (1×106/kg in 20 mL) and intravenous (1×106/kg in 30 mL) administrations of WJ-MSCs for each application route (twice a month for 2 months). After stem cell infusions, progressive improvements were shown in his neurological examination, neuroradiological, and neurophysiological findings. To our best knowledge, this is a pioneer project to clinically study the neural repair effect of WJ-MSCs in a patient with HIE.

The Effect of Umbilical Cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient with Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability reason of childhood that occurs secondarily to non-progressive damage in the brain whose development is still ongoing. METHODS: 6-year-old dystonic-spastic male CP patient received allogenic mesenchymal stem cells treatment four times as 1×106/kg in intrathecal and intravenous administration of Umbilical Cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) ways. Before and after the treatment, the patient was followed-up with FIM (Functional Independent Measurement), GMFCS (Gross Motor Function Classification System 88), Tardieu Scale, TCMS (Trunk Control Measurement Scale), MACS (Manual Ability Classification Scale), CFSS (Communication Function Classification System) for 18 months and received intensive rehabilitation. RESULTS: Improvements were observed especially in functional scales except for the Tardieu Scale, and no adverse effects were detected aside from a slight pain in the back. CONCLUSION: Wider future case studies on UC-MSCs will enable us to assess the efficacy of UC-MSCs which have positive impacts especially on functional scales.

An Investigation of the Frequency of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Pathogens and their Antibiotic Patterns in Tonsils and Adenoids of Adenotonsillectomy Patients.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the potentially pathogenic bacteria of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and their susceptibilities to different antibiotics. METHODS: Two-hundred adenoid and tonsil specimens from 100 patients who had undergone adenotonsillectomy were obtained and analyzed bacteriologically. Identification of the pathogens was made by conventional or commercial identification systems and antibiotic susceptibility tests were carried out by disk diffusion method. RESULTS: A total of 274 pathogens were recovered from 81% specimens of 73% of the patients. Haemophilus influenzae (31.8%) was the most prevalent pathogen, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (17.2%), Group A beta hemolytic Streptococci, GABHS (12.0%), Moraxella catarrhalis (7.7%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (7.3%), and nine other bacterial species (24.0%). Penicillins (penicillin, ampicillin) had 100% activity against GABHS followed by 96.5% in H. influenzae, 45% in S. pneumoniae, and 0% in S. aureus strains. The efficacy of beta-lactamase inhibitor antibiotics (ampicillin/sulbactam, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid) were similar to those of penicillins but had superior activity (89.4%) against S. aureus strains. Cefotaxime had high activity (100%) against GABHS and H. influenzae followed by S. aureus (89.4%). Cotrimoxazole was also active in S. aureus (97.8%) and H. influenzae (83.9%) but revealed intermediate activity (45%) in S. penumoniae and was not efficient (0%) in GABHS. Macrolids (erythromycin, clindamycin) were very efficient (100%) in GABHS followed by S. aureus (95.7%) and had intermediate activity (50%) in S. pneumoniae. Levofloxacin, telithromycin, and vancomycin had 100% activity against S. pneumoniae strains. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding have shown that H. influenzae was the most prevalent pathogen followed by S. aureus, GABHS, M. catarrhalis, and S. pneumoniae and that there was no unique antibiotic to combat all prevalent pathogens, but penicillins could be the choice in GABHS and H. influenzae; beta-lactamase inhibitors and cefotaxime for GABHS, H. influenzae, and S. aureus; macrolids in GABHS and S. aureus; cotrimoxazole in H. influenzae and S. aureus; and levofloxacin and telithromycin in the treatment of S. penumoniae related URTIs.