435 Improvement of regional myocardial function during exercise after cell therapy in chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to examine changes in regional myocardial deformation during exercise echocardiography, before (pre) and 4 months after (post) intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC) in patients with severe chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Background: Longitudinal systolic myocardial strain (s) and strain rate (sr) has proven to be useful for quantifying regional myocardial function during stress echocardiography. Effects of intracoronary infusion of autologous BMC on global and regional myocardial function have not been studied in patients with chronic ICM. Methods: Eight patients with dilated LV and EF< 35% underwent a symptom-limited bicycle exercise echocardiography pre and post BMC infusion. Maximum systolic strain (msys) and peak systolic strain rate (psysr) were measured at rest (r) and exercise (e) pre and post BMC in the mid segment of each akinetic area. Intracoronary infusions of BMC were performed into the artery supplying viable territory detected by exercise echocardiography. Results: Twelve akinetic areas were analysed. Three of the 8 anterior and all of the 4 inferior areas presented viability pre BMC.WMSI did not change at rest and decreased from 1.43 40.17 to 1.38 40.16(p=0.02) at exercise. EF, msys and psysr results at rest and exercise are shown in the table.