Liver cirrhosis; chronic hepatitis

Immature (stem) cells are grafted either directly into the patient’s liver or intravenously. The treatment is conducted in the surgical department.

The grafted cells intensify hepatocyte regeneration and suppress the development in the liver of pathological connective tissue.

The grafted cells intensify hepatocyte regeneration and suppress the development in the liver of pathological connective tissue.

Typical surgical complications cannot be completely excluded in the case of intrahepatic cell transplantation. No long-term complications are registered.

Stem cells in combined treatment for liver cirrhosis

Table 1.Patients' characteristics.

Characteristic	Trial (n=30)	Control (n=30)
Male	12 (40%)	14 (47%)
Female	18 (60%)	16 (53%)
Mean age	47±3	45±4
Length of disease	5.9±1.7	5.3±1.4
Hepatitis C virus	6 (20%)	7 (23%)
Hepatitis B virus	3 (10%)	3 (10%)
Hepatitis C+B virus	4 (13%)	3 (10%)
Chronic alcohol intoxication	10 (34%)	9 (30%)
Primary biliary cirrhosis	7 (23%)	8 (27%)

Each patient of the trial group was cell-grafted tree times. The duration of follow-up time was 1 year. No complications, which might be related to the grafted cells, were noted.

With treatment, the index of disease severity decreased in the trial group by 42%. At the same time this index increased in the control group by 21%. The life quality of the trial patients improved by 29%, whereas that of the control patients deteriorated by 25%. The cell-based treatment promoted normalization of both biochemical blood parameters and blood coagulability. On the other hand, the indices of hepatic blood flow in the trial patients kept at the initial level. The multiple focuses of hepatic regeneration in the form of cluster of polynucleated hepatocytes were histologically detected at 6 months after the last cell transplantation. Thus the results suggest that stem cell transplantation may represent a safe and effective treatment for cirrhosis patients.

For more information see the publications.