Sunjay Kaushal, MD, PhD, surgeon in the Division of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery at Children's Memorial Hospital and assistant professor of surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the head of the study, believes that the results are promising for the many children that have congenital heart problems. With this new possible therapy alternative, children may be able to avoid heart transplant.
Cells were acquired from patients in an age group ranging from a few days after birth to 13 years old who were suffering from routine congenital cardiac surgery. The results show that the number of heart stem cells were greater in babies and then rapidly decreased by age, and also that more stem cells were located in the upper right chamber in the heart. Additionaly, the study showed that cardiac stem cells, do, in fact, have the potential to repair a damaged heart.
"Heart disease in children is different than heart disease in adults," said Kaushal. "Whereas adults might suffer heart failure from coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis, heart failure in children primarily occurs because they acquire cardiomyopathy or have a congenital condition in which the heart chambers are small or in the wrong position causing the heart to pump inefficiently. The potential of cardiac stem cell therapy for children is truly exciting," said Kaushal. His FDA approval for clinical trials with children is still pending.
Hopefully, Kaushal's study brings in even more promising results to save many children in the world.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110127141755.htm
Cells were acquired from patients in an age group ranging from a few days after birth to 13 years old who were suffering from routine congenital cardiac surgery. The results show that the number of heart stem cells were greater in babies and then rapidly decreased by age, and also that more stem cells were located in the upper right chamber in the heart. Additionaly, the study showed that cardiac stem cells, do, in fact, have the potential to repair a damaged heart.
"Heart disease in children is different than heart disease in adults," said Kaushal. "Whereas adults might suffer heart failure from coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis, heart failure in children primarily occurs because they acquire cardiomyopathy or have a congenital condition in which the heart chambers are small or in the wrong position causing the heart to pump inefficiently. The potential of cardiac stem cell therapy for children is truly exciting," said Kaushal. His FDA approval for clinical trials with children is still pending.
Hopefully, Kaushal's study brings in even more promising results to save many children in the world.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110127141755.htm
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