Heart victims lead new research bid

12 October 2005

By Bridget Carter (with picture)

Courageous East End heart patients will be among hundreds taking part in a major UK trial to find out if they can be cured with their own stem cells.

As part of the four-year trial by Barts and the London NHS Trust, some of the 700 patients involved will have stem cells extracted from bone marrow in their hip and injected into their major coronary arteries.

Others will be injected with growth factor drugs in the hope that their stem cells will spill out of their bone marrow and into their blood without the need for the operation.

Consultant Cardiologist Dr Anthony Mathur, who is leading the research, said there was growing evidence to show that stem cells could help people with serious heart conditions, including heart failure or heart attacks.

“Our studies will determine if adult stem cells in bone marrow can repair damaged heart muscle,” he said.

The study has been described by the trust as one of the biggest and most comprehensive trials of its kind in the world. It is also the first major trial of its kind in the United Kingdom.