Spinal Cord Injury - Autologous Stem Cell Therapy Results (n=140)
Introduction
Because Autologous Stem Cells from bone marrow are easily accessible from both healthy donors and patients and can be expanded on a therapeutic scale, they have attracted attention for cell-based therapy1. Although the mechanisms are not yet completely understood, some small clinical trials with Spinal CordInjury patients have demonstrated a positive effect on their use and proved that the use of Autologous Stem Cells is safe2-4.
Methods
On a larger scale XCell-Center treated chronic Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Autologous Stem Cells using the lumbar puncture procedure 200ml of Bone Marrow was extracted out of the Iliac crest and was concentrated for transplantation using gradient centrifugation. The results for 140 patients treated with autologous stem cell transplantation were evaluated and are presented below.
Results
The picture below shows the distribution of the patients by severity of the Spinal Cord Injury lesions of the treated patients. The side effects reported by the patients were caused by the lumbar puncture treatment and not by the stem cells. The most common side effect was a short period of mild headache (15% of the patients).
Nearly 60% of the treated patients experienced improvements. There was very little difference between patients classified as an ASIA A (complete Spinal Cord Injury) and patients classified with an ASIA B or C (incomplete Spinal Cord Lesion).
The figure below illustrates the kind of improvements patients experienced. Getting back sensation (feeling warm or cold sensations/ touch) was reported in 67% of improved patients. Less weakness and increased muscle duration was reported by about two-thirds. Better control of Bladder and Bowel and even getting back erections was also reported by more than 25% - 40% of the patients.
Patients with measured ASIA scores saw average improvements of about 10% in ASIA motor score, and approximately 20% in ASIA pin prick and light touch measurements.
Conclusions
In summary, Autologous Stem Cells injected in the spinal cavity has proven to have a positive effect on the Spinal Cord Injury in nearly 60% of treated patients. The lumbar puncture procedure is safe and the most reported complaint by the patients was a short period of mild headache. Comparing the results of the side effects survey of XCell-Center (this survey consists of 870 patients) with international literature, XCell-Center showed one of the lowest incidence of Post Dural Puncture Headache (3,7%)5.
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