REGENERATIVE MACROPHAGES: A NEW HOPE FOR CARDIOMYOPATHY

Abstract

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the number one cause of death. It is predicted that 23.6 million people will die from it by 2030, mainly caused by strokes and heart attacks. This study aimed to investigate the new treatment of cardiomyopathy, a cardiovascular disease that hinders blood supply from the heart to the body and can cause heart failure. While the traditional treatment focus on cardiac rehabilitation, including lifestyle counseling and prescription exercise, surgery on coronary bypass artery, and medication of increasing the flow of blood, the use of therapeutic cells is a new way to deal with cardiovascular diseases and heart infarction. It intends to effectively replace or regenerate dead or damaged heart cells, as the main advantage of this treatment. The use of alternative methods to treat cardiovascular diseases has high potential value, as found in the immunotherapy method through the use of "regenerative macrophages." This study is a qualitative case report research study which provides an exploration of phenomenon or opportunity of sharing efforts to intervene single patient’s health with unreported health features previously. The result of this study showed that a 71 years old man was hospitalized in Gatot Soebroto Central Army Hospital Jakarta, Indonesia, by the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. He presented for chronic cough and peripheral edema. He denied syncope, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, and diaphoresis. The application of echocardiography regarding the previous treatment indicated diastolic dysfunction, left ventricle hypokinesis and left ventricular hypertrophy with 44% of low ejection on the fraction. After the vaccines of Regenerative Macrophages (ReM) therapy were given to the patient, significant improvements in the echocardiography parameters were observed, with normal kinetics, improved ejection fraction, and diastolic dysfunction increased to 56%. Significantly, regenerative macrophages could be an option of immunotherapy in patients with cardiomyopathies with low risk of effective treatment further.