http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/...how/4401830.cms



NEW DELHI: Stroke patients who suffer partial paralysis, become handicapped and lose their ability to carry out simple day to day activities like taking a shower or changing clothes can now hope to be cured with their own stem cells.

In a breakthrough, neurologists from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) who injected stem cells taken from the patient's bone marrow back into his antecubital vein (in the forearms, near the elbow) have found that around 60% of 12 patients were able to carry out daily activities walk, use the toilet, take a bath, dress and eat independently, within six months. This increased to 70% within a year.

None of these patients could carry out such activities at the beginning of the study.

The same, however, wasn't true for the three equally serious stroke patients who did not receive stem cells during their treatment. While 33% were able to carry out these activities at the start of the study, the figure increased to only 50% in a year.

Making the findings public on Monday, AIIMS neurologist Dr Kameshwar Prasad, the lead investigator, told TOI, "According to this pilot study, the stem cells also benefited the patient's neurological deficits caused by the stroke and greatly reduced his handicap.''

In this study funded by department of biotechnology that started in June 2006, Dr Prasad enrolled 15 stroke patients aged 38-70 years 12 received 86 million bone marrow cells and three did not and was the control group. The 12 patients were given stem cell shots within the first month after onset of stroke. Around 70% in the stem cell group were able to overcome their handicaps and successfully return to previous activities like playing golf, working in office and cooking. In the control group, only one patient was free of handicap at the end of the year.

"Around 50% in the stem cell group became free of deficits like weakness of one limb and inability to walk as against 30% in the control arm,'' Dr Prasad, who will unveil this data at the European Stroke Conference in May, told TOI.

"The stem cells had excellent safety profile. After carrying out Pet scans and MRIs thrice in a year on patients who received stem cells, we found no side-effects. This study shows that stem cells are a safe and feasible therapy in acute stroke. This holds promise and needs to be confirmed in a bigger study,'' Dr Prasad said.

"That's why we have started a large-scale DBT-funded multi-centric study to seal our initial findings. Besides AIIMS, the four centres where this three-year study on 120 stroke patients is starting are PGI (Chandigarh), SGPGI (Lucknow), Armed Forces Medical College (Pune) and Army R&R Hospital (Delhi),'' Dr Prasad added.

This is how stem cell therapy works physicians remove the stem cells from the patient's bone marrow from the hip bone, purify them and intravenously return them to the patient within a few hours. Because they are the patient's own stem cells, rejection isn't an issue.

Research shows that stem cells have an instinctive guidance system and migrate to the area of injury.

While the stem cells do not produce new brain cells, they enhance the repair process in the brain and reduce damage.

This breakthrough has the potential to drastically change the way stroke patients are treated in India where as many as 200 people in every 100,000 suffer from stroke annually.

Anything on head injuries? If it works for strokes, wouldn't that be the next thing to try?

This is good stuff David. Good stuff.

Ok, can someone just explain the numbers to me please?
3 patients, 33% able to carry out tasks at the start. 33% =1 patient right? The figure increased to 50% in a year. 50% = 1.5 patients, now how can you count half a patient?

This is besides the point that this is a too smaller study group is statistically significant

My thoughts exactly, Trinity.

The only thing I could conclude is that since 33% (1) could already carry out the activities, that left two that could not. If one of the remaining two improved to be able to carry out the activities, then that would be 50% of the patients that couldn't originally perform the activities.

It's stupid math. My question is why would you include someone in the control group that could already carry out the activities?

You're completely correct in pointing out the size of the study group, not even close to a statistically significant group size.

This statement is also confusing: "Around 50% in the stem cell group became free of deficits like weakness of one limb and inability to walk as against 30% in the control arm,'' . According to previous statements 33% of the control group could already perform these activities. If one more person in the control group improved, shouldn't the percentage now be 67%? And what happenned to the 60% at six months and 70% at one year in the stem cell group?

The more I look at the numbers, the more confusing (inaccurate) it appears. Even if the numbers"added up", I wouldn't put much into this study.

+2

My guess is that there is a bit of trouble in the translation. Not hard to imagine if you've ever talked to anyone on a product help line. They may be college grads, but I still have trouble understanding and being understood.


Havn't heard from SCB for a while,,, where you at, dude??
ed

Hey there,
My assessment was exactly the same. I believe the original article was from India so you got a dangling modifier in there.

As for me, I'm around. I've been very busy writing a book on stem cells and I am doing consultant work for a diabetes/stem cell company and a non-invasive cancer company. That on top of my blog and I can barely keep up with my emails. Sorry for being away.
David

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseC...3990&EDATE=


New Stem Cell Web Site to Focus on Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury and Diabetes

SAN DIEGO, May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Entest BioMedical, Inc., a newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary of San Diego-based Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: BMSN) announced today the launch of its Web site (http://www.EntestBio.com) to focus on new stem cell research, including a proposed research to develop a new therapeutic solution for traumatic brain injury (TBI) using autologous adipose-derived (fat) stem cells representing a potential cure. There are currently 1.5 million new cases of TBI occurring in the U.S. each year, adding to the almost 6.5 million existing cases. The Company is also pursuing research in the use of fat stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury, in which approximately 200,000 patients in the U.S. suffer from this disability.

The site also highlights the Company's progress in developing a gestational diabetes screening test, as the exclusive licensee granted by UCLA. The non-invasive, highly accurate streamline test mitigates the lengthy process of diagnoses and would more quickly treat the glucose intolerant disease, which potentially impacts 4.3 million pregnant women each year.

Along with background about types of stem cells and factoids, the new site also reviews Entest BioMedical's focus on the promising field of in vitro expansion of adult stem cells using other types of cells, such as peripheral stem cells and cord blood stem cells to treat cancer and other diseases. The R & D company is also exploring isolating hematopoietic stem cells from peripheral blood or bone marrow and differentiating them into immune cells, especially T cells.

"Our new Web site demonstrates Entest BioMedical's mission and key scientific personnel who are dedicated to discovering and developing new procedures, treatments and medical devices that improve the quality of life - leading research and technology that serve the present and help shape the future," said David Koos, Ph.D., DBA, Chairman and CEO.