Safety and efficacy of internal carotid artery infusion of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells in subacute middle cerebral artery infarct

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the safety and the efficacy of internal carotid artery (ICA) infusion of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSC) in subacute middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarct. Subject and method: A prospective, open-label, non-randomized was conducted in patients with MCA infarct, within 7-40 days from onset. Sixty-two patients satisfying the inclusion criteria were enrolled and allocated into either BMSC group (n = 31) or control group (n = 31). Follow-ups were performed at 6 months and 1 year after therapy. Adverse events were noted to conclude safety outcome. The primary efficacy outcomes were percentages of recovered patients with a score of 0 to 2 on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). The secondary efficacy outcomes were evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI), Brunnstrom stages of hand (BRS-H), and infarct volume on head MRI. Result: There were no significant differences in the percentages of noted adverse events. The percentages of the mRS 0-2 in BMSC group were remarkably higher as compared to control group at both 6-month and 1-year follow-up, but not statistically significant (25.8% vs 6.9%, p=0.08 and 26.7 vs 9.7, p=0.1, respectively). BI at 6 months was significantly better in the BMSC group, however no significant differences on other secondary efficacy measures. Conclusion: ICA infusion of BMSC was safe and tolerated in patients with subacute MCA infarct. Although the difference in the primary efficacy outcomes was not statistically significant, a favorable trend was found in BMSC group representing by the BI at 6 months and the percentages of mRS 0-2 at both main follow-ups.