Study Highlights:

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cardiac stem cells may one day be an effective treatment for heart failure caused by muscle scarring after a heart attack, according to late-breaking clinical trial results presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

In the Effect of Cardiac Stem Cells In Patients with Ischemic CardiOmyopathy (SCIPIO) trial, heart function and quality of life improved in 20 people treated with their own cardiac stem cells (CSCs).

"This is exciting," said Roberto Bolli, M.D., lead author of the trial, chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. "The effect of these cells has continued for up to two years, and has gotten stronger. There was also a major reduction in heart scarring."

In 33 patients with heart failure who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery, researchers removed a tiny piece of heart tissue and isolated heart stem cells called c-kit CSCs. Researchers then grew additional cells to infuse into 20 volunteers assigned to treatment.

Among outcomes found two years after treatment:

"We have not seen any deaths among the patients, or any adverse effects that can be ascribed to the stem cells," Bolli said.

About 6.6 million Americans suffer from heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Life expectancy is about five years after diagnosis. Ischemic heart attacks cause most of the 57,000 U.S. deaths a year due to heart failure.

Larger, multi-center studies are needed to confirm the findings, Bolli said.

The Jewish Hospital, University of Louisville, and the National Institutes of Health funded the study. Co-authors' names are on the abstract.

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Cardiac Stem Cells May Help Treat Heart Failure