Objective To compare the effectiveness of autologous implantation between bone marrow stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells for treatment of lower limb ischemia. Methods From December 2004 to December 2005, 42 patients with unilateral lower limb ischemia were treated with both autologous bone marrow stem cell implantation(group A, n=21)and autologous peripheral blood stem cell implantation (group B, n=21). Fortytwo patients included 32 males and 10 females. The age ranged from 34 to 80 years, with a mean of 65.6 years. Of the patients, there were 28, 8 and 6 patients suffered from diabetic lower limb ischemia, Burger’s disese and atherosclotic occlusion, respectively. Ischemic history was from 3 months to 5 years, with amean of 2.1 years. A series of subjective indexes (such as improvement of pain, cold sensation and numbness) and objective indexes such as increase of ankle brachial index (ABI), transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2), angiography, amputation rate, and improvement of foot wound healing, were used to evaluate the effect. Results After 4 weeks of implantation, the rate of pain relief was 88.2% in group A and 89.5% in group B (Pgt;0.05) ; the rate of cold sensation relief was 94.4% in group A and 94.7% in group B（Pgt;0.05）; improvement of numbness was 69.2% and 66.7% respectively in groups A and B（Pgt;0.05）. Increaseof ABI was 38.1% in group A and 33.3% in group B（Pgt;0.05）; increase of TcPO2 was 85.7% and 90.5% respectively in groups A and B（Pgt;0.05）; angiography was performed in 12 patients (group A) and 9patients (group B), and the new formed collateral vessel rate was 83.3% in group A and 77.8% in group B（Pgt;0.05）; the amputation rate was 9.1% in groups A and B（Pgt;0.05）; the rate of improvement of foot wound healing was 60.0% in group A and 66.7% in group B(P＞0.05). Forty patients were followed up 3-15 months(mean 8 months). The improvement rate of subjective symptoms was 75.0% in group A and 70.0% in group B (Pgt;0.05); increase of ABI was 60.0% in group A and 65.0% in group B; increase of TcPO2 was 80.0% and 75.0% respectively in groups A and B; the new formed collateral vessel rate was 90.0% in group A and 84.6% in group B. All ulcers healed except 1 case in group B. Conclusion Bone marrow stem cell graft and peripheral blood stem cell graft are all effective in treatingower limb ischemia.
Objective To observe the clinical efficiency of the implantation of the autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells for treatment of lower limb ischemia after the bone marrow stimulation. Methods From May to December 2005, 43 ischemic limbs in 35 patients (23 males,12 females; aged 3490 years,averaged 71.3 year) were treated. Of the 35 patients, 30 had diabetic lowerlimb ischemia with 38 lower ischemic limbs, 2 had atherosclerosis obliterans with 2 ischemic lower limbs, and 3 had thromboangiitis obliterans with 3 ischemic lower limbs. Five patients with 5 ischemic limbs were in stage Ⅰ lower limb ischemia (intermittentclaudication), 15 patients with ischemic 19 limbs were in stage Ⅱ (rest pain),9 patients with 12 ischemic limbs were in stage Ⅲa(ulceration), and 6 patients with 7 ischemic lower limbs in stage Ⅲb (gangrene); 88.4% of all the ischemic lower limbs （38/43）had a pain, 79.1%（34/43） had coldness, and 69.8%（30/43）had limb numbness. The bone marrow of each patient was stimulated by an injection of the recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulatory factor 300 μg/d for 2-3 days. The bone marrow 130-200 ml was drawn from the iliac spine and the mononuclear cells were obtained. Each patient received implantation of the autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells by an intramuscular injection, an arterial intraluminal injection or a combined injection of the two routes.Results The pain relief was found in 94.7% of theischemic lower limbs, and pain improvement in 97.1% . Relived numbness was found in 93.3%. The distance of the claudication was increased by all the ischemic limbs. An increase in the ankle/ brachial index (ABI)was found in 47.9%. The transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2) increased in 92.3%. The ulcer heal rate was 9.1% (1/11). Markedlyreduced ulcer wound was found in 27.3% (3/11). The amputation rate was 6.3% (3/48). Arterial angiography revealed that there was a new collateral vessel formationin 91.2%. Complications were as follows: fever and mild fatigue-developed respectively in 1 patient after the bone marrow stimulation, but relieved by themselves. Acute but mild myocardial infarction was found in 1 patient with a slight precordial pain and elevation of myocardial enzymes 1 week after transplantation of the bone marrow mononuclear cells, but recovered after medical treatment. The follow-up averaged 5 months. According to the subjective criteria, the overall efficacy was90%. ABI increased in 62.5% of the patients after operation and the value of TcPO2 was higher in 90% of the patients after this kind of therapy. Arterial angiography revealed a new collateral vessel formation in 90.5% of the 21 ischemic limbs. The foot ulcer healed in 7 and obviously improved in 3. Three of the foot ulcer patients were discharged 2-3 months after the amputation was performed on the diseased toes. Conclusion Implantation of the autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells after the bone marrow stimulation of treatment of the lower limb ischemia has advantages of less marrow aspiration, more mononuclear cell content, satisfactory shortterm effect, and relatively high safety. Itis a new method of treating the lower limb ischemia besides the autologous bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cell implantation. The longterm effect of this method needs a further study.
Objective To explore the effective autologous bone marrow stem cell dosage for treatment of severe lower limb ischemia. Methods From December 2003 to December 2004, 22 cases of bilateral lower limb ischemia were treated with autologous bone morrow cell transplantation. All the patients were randomly divided into two groups according to ischemia degree. In group A(severe ischemia side), the amount of transplanted autologous bone marrow cells was more than 1×108, and ingroup B(mild ischemia side), the amount was less than 1×105. A series of subjective indexes, such as improvement of pain, cold sensation and numbness, and objective indexes, such as increase of ankle/brachial index (ABI) and transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2), angiography, amputation rate, and improvement of foot wound healing were used to evaluate the effect of autologous bone marrow stem cells implantation. Results The rates of pain relief were 90.0% in group A and 16.7% in group B (Plt;0.01); the rates of cold sensation relief were 90.5% in group A and 5.3% in group B（Plt;0.01）;the improvement of numbness was 62.5% in group A and 9.1% in group B（Plt;0.01）. Increase of ABI was 31.8% and 0 in groups A and B respectively（Plt;0.01） at 4 weeks after implantation. Increase of TcPO2was 94.4% and 11.1% in groups A and B respectively（Plt;0.01） at 4 weeks after implantation. Twelve cases of angiography showed rich new collateral vessels in 100% of the limbs in group A while no remarkable new collateral vessel in group B. The amputation rates were 4.5% in group A and 27.3% in group B（Plt;0.05） at 4 weeks after implantation. The rate of improvement of foot wound healing was 75% in group A and there was no changein wound healing in group B after 4 weeks of implantation. Conclusion The effectiveness of autologous bone marrow stem cell implantation depends on the number of implanted stem cells. Effectiveness is expected in most patients if the implanted stem cell is more than 1×108, whereas there would be little effect if the cell number is less than 1×105.
ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of low-(10 mg) and high-dose (20 mg) of recombinant tissue typeplasminogen activator (rt-PA) catheter-directed thrombolysis for lower limb ischemia by using meta-analysis. MethodsThe literatures of randomized clinical trials (RCT) concerning low-versus high-dose rt-PA catheter-directed thrombolysis for lower limb ischemia study were searched using the national and international electronic databases.The literatures were screened and quality evaluated according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and analyzed by using the Cochrane Center the RevMan 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 4 RCT studies, with a total of 360 patients (192 patients in low dose group and 168 patients in high-dose group) were included.No statistical difference were noted in low-versus high-dose group with regard to ankle-brachial index (RR=0.20, 95%CI=-0.43-0.02, P=0.07), 30 days amputation-free survival (RR=1.00, 95%CI=0.94-1.08, P=0.91), 6 months the probability of restenosis (RR=1.00, 95%CI=0.60-1.67, P=1.00), and the incidence of groin hematoma (< 5 cm, RR=1.24, 95%CI=0.56-2.77, P=0.59).But the incidence of bleeding and the incidence of stress ulcer in low-dose group were lower than those in high-dose group (RR=2.38, 95%CI=1.10-5.15, P=0.03;RR=2.49, 95%CI=1.21-5.13, P=0.01). ConclusionTwo doses of rt-PA treatment of limb ischemia similar efficacy, but the incidence of low-dose regimen of complications is significantly lower than the high dose regimen.