The Relationship Between Left Ventricular Fractional Shortening and Intravenous Administration of Stem Cells in Laboratory Rabbits Presenting Chronic Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The present study conducted from March 2012 to July 2013 aimed to evaluate from echocardiographic point of view the effects of peripheral intravenous administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in laboratory rabbits presenting 30 days old chronic myocardial infarction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30 days after the induction of an acute myocardial infarction in 40 laboratory rabbits by direct ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery at about 10 mm from the apex, we injected 1×106 MSCs in the auricular vein in a group of 30 rabbits, and a group of 10 rabbits were used as controls. 30 days after the injection of stem cells the left ventricular (LV) fractional shortening (FS) was evaluated by echocardiography and compared with the control rabbits. RESULTS: In control rabbits, echocardiography revealed akinesis of apex, interventricular septum kinetics was also impaired, FS being approximately 6%. In 80% (24 rabbits) of the injected rabbits the FS of the LV was significantly greater than in the witness group (26+/−2%, p<0.0001). At 13.3% (4 rabbits) of the injected rabbits the FS of the LV showed no improvement in comparison with the control group (6.5+/−1%). CONCLUSION: An improvement of LV SF 30 days after MSCs were injected(p<0.0001) was noted. We have to further determine if this improvement of the LV function is correlated with any histopathological changes and if it is not lost in time. Also, further studies needs to evaluate if there is any significant change in the overall mortality.