Autologous bone marrow cell transplantation in the treatment of HIV patients with compensated cirrhosis

Liver stem cell therapy is a promising tool to improve decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC). Especially in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the condition of the liver may be aggravated by antiretroviral therapy. A total of 21 patients diagnosed with DLC and HIV infection were divided into two groups as follows: those who received (combination therapy group, 14 patients) and those who did not receive (routine therapy group, 7 patients) bone marrow cell transplantation through the portal vein. Two patients died of surgery-related complications in the combination therapy group. The results showed that the survival rate was 85.7% in the combination therapy group after 2 years of follow-up, which was significantly higher than the 14.3% in the conventional therapy group (P<0.01). After treatment, the liver function score decreased significantly in the combination therapy group at 1 (t = 4.276, P = 0.000), 3 (t = 9.153, P = 0.000), and 12 (t = 13.536, P = 0.000) months, the levels of albumin were significantly increased, and the total bilirubin level and prothrombin time were significantly reduced or shortened as compared with the routine therapy group (P<0.05 or <0.01). The white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, and CD4+ and CD8+ levels were significantly higher in the combination therapy group at different time points as compared with the routine therapy group (P<0.05 or <0.01). In summary, the combination therapy is effective in HIV-infected patients with DLC and useful for the recovery of liver function and cellular immune function but may increase the risk of severe complications after surgery.

One-year results of the treatment of critical lower limb ischemia with indirect revascularization methods

The OBJECTIVEwas to compare the efficiency of autologous bone marrow cell implantation and lumbar sympathectomy in the treatment of chronic critical lower limb ischemia.MATERIAL AND METHODS. The complex examination and treatment of 66 patients with critical lower limb ischemia, divided into 2 statistically homogeneous groups, was analyzed. The first group underwent sympathectomy, and the second – autologous bone marrow cell transplantation.RESULTS. After 1 year, in patients of the second group, compared with the first, the clinical status increased by 51.5 %, the number of amputations decreased by 3 %, the physical component of health increased by 7.9 %, the psychological component – by 17.7 %.CONCLUSION. The autologous bone marrow cell transplantation was pathogenetically substantiated and effective.