Bone marrow stem cells for the treatment of ischemic heart disease: a clinical trial review.

Cardiovascular disease continues to represent a significant and growing source of morbidity and mortality despite advances in traditional treatments. As a result, increasing interest and research in regenerative therapies has emerged in recent years. Among them, cell therapy represents an area of significant potential. An expanding clinical literature now exists involving the use of bone marrow-derived stem cells in the treatment of ischemic heart disease. These early studies appear to provide promising results in patient populations that include those with refractory angina, ischemic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular dysfunction, and end-stage heart failure. This review serves to provide a comprehensive examination of these clinical trials focused on several components including cell preparation, cell delivery, safety, and efficacy of these trials.