Kenta Hirai

Intracoronary Cardiac Progenitor Cells in Single Ventricle Physiology: The PERSEUS (Cardiac Progenitor Cell Infusion to Treat Univentricular Heart Disease) Randomized Phase 2 Trial.

Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine whether intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign in a 1:1 ratio 41 patients who had single ventricle physiology undergoing stage 2 or 3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess improvement in cardiac function at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC infusion on request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in the controls (+6.4% [SD, 5.5] versus +1.3% [SD, 3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with that at baseline (38.8% [SD, 7.7] versus 34.8% [SD, 7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD, 6.6] versus 35.0% [SD, 8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and quality of life, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and quality of life in patients and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine if intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign 41 patients in a 1:1 ratio who had single ventricle physiology undergoing staged-2 or -3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess cardiac function improvement at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC-infusion upon request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life (QOL) after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in controls (+6.4% [SD 5.5] vs. +1.3% [3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC-infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with baseline (38.8% [SD 7.7] vs. 34.8% [7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD 6.6] vs. 35.0% [8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and QOL, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and QOL in patients, and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.

Intracoronary Cardiac Progenitor Cells in Single Ventricle PhysiologyNovelty and Significance: The PERSEUS (Cardiac Progenitor Cell Infusion to Treat Univentricular Heart Disease) Randomized Phase 2 Trial

Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine whether intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign in a 1:1 ratio 41 patients who had single ventricle physiology undergoing stage 2 or 3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess improvement in cardiac function at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC infusion on request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in the controls (+6.4% [SD, 5.5] versus +1.3% [SD, 3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with that at baseline (38.8% [SD, 7.7] versus 34.8% [SD, 7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD, 6.6] versus 35.0% [SD, 8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and quality of life, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and quality of life in patients and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine if intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign 41 patients in a 1:1 ratio who had single ventricle physiology undergoing staged-2 or -3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess cardiac function improvement at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC-infusion upon request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life (QOL) after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in controls (+6.4% [SD 5.5] vs. +1.3% [3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC-infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with baseline (38.8% [SD 7.7] vs. 34.8% [7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD 6.6] vs. 35.0% [8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and QOL, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and QOL in patients, and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.

Impact of Cardiac Progenitor Cells on Heart Failure and Survival in Single Ventricle Congenital Heart DiseaseNovelty and Significance

Rationale: Intracoronary administration of cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) in patients with single ventricles resulted in a short-term improvement in cardiac function. Objective: To test the hypothesis that CDC infusion is associated with improved cardiac function and reduced mortality in patients with heart failure. Methods and Results: We evaluated the effectiveness of CDCs using an integrated cohort study in 101 patients with single ventricles, including 41 patients who received CDC infusion and 60 controls treated with staged palliation alone. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (EF) or reduced EF was stratified by the cardiac function after surgical reconstruction. The main outcome measure was to evaluate the magnitude of improvement in cardiac function and all-cause mortality at 2 years. Animal studies were conducted to clarify the underlying mechanisms of heart failure with preserved EF and heart failure with reduced EF phenotypes. At 2 years, CDC infusion increased ventricular function (stage 2: +8.4±10.0% versus +1.6±6.4%, P=0.03; stage 3: +7.9±7.5% versus −1.1±5.5%, P<0.001) compared with controls. In all available follow-up data, survival did not differ between the 2 groups (log-rank P=0.225), whereas overall patients treated by CDCs had lower incidences of late failure (P=0.022), adverse events (P=0.013), and catheter intervention (P=0.005) compared with controls. CDC infusion was associated with a lower risk of adverse events (hazard ratio, 0.411; 95% CI, 0.179–0.942; P=0.036). Notably, CDC infusion reduced mortality (P=0.038) and late complications (P<0.05) in patients with heart failure with reduced EF but not with heart failure with preserved EF. CDC-treated rats significantly reversed myocardial fibrosis with differential collagen deposition and inflammatory responses between the heart failure phenotypes. Conclusions: CDC administration in patients with single ventricles showed favorable effects on ventricular function and was associated with reduced late complications except for all-cause mortality after staged procedures. Patients with heart failure with reduced EF but not heart failure with preserved EF treated by CDCs resulted in significant improvement in clinical outcome. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT01273857 and NCT01829750.

Intracoronary Cardiac Progenitor Cells in Single Ventricle Physiology: The PERSEUS Randomized Phase 2 Trial

Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine whether intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign in a 1:1 ratio 41 patients who had single ventricle physiology undergoing stage 2 or 3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess improvement in cardiac function at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC infusion on request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in the controls (+6.4% [SD, 5.5] versus +1.3% [SD, 3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with that at baseline (38.8% [SD, 7.7] versus 34.8% [SD, 7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD, 6.6] versus 35.0% [SD, 8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and quality of life, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and quality of life in patients and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine if intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign 41 patients in a 1:1 ratio who had single ventricle physiology undergoing staged-2 or -3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess cardiac function improvement at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC-infusion upon request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life (QOL) after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in controls (+6.4% [SD 5.5] vs. +1.3% [3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC-infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with baseline (38.8% [SD 7.7] vs. 34.8% [7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD 6.6] vs. 35.0% [8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and QOL, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and QOL in patients, and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.

Balloon Atrial Septostomy in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome with Restrictive Atrial Septum

Rashkind balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) can be challenging in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and small atrial septal defect (ASD).

Transcoronary cell infusion with the stop-flow technique in children with single-ventricle physiology

Almost all reports on cardiac regeneration therapy have referred to adults, and only a few have focused on transcoronary infusion of cardiac progenitor cells using the stop‐flow technique in children.

Intracoronary Cardiac Progenitor Cells in Single Ventricle PhysiologyNovelty and Significance

Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine whether intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign in a 1:1 ratio 41 patients who had single ventricle physiology undergoing stage 2 or 3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess improvement in cardiac function at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC infusion on request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in the controls (+6.4% [SD, 5.5] versus +1.3% [SD, 3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with that at baseline (38.8% [SD, 7.7] versus 34.8% [SD, 7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD, 6.6] versus 35.0% [SD, 8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and quality of life, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and quality of life in patients and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.Rationale: Patients with single ventricle physiology are at high risk of mortality resulting from ventricular dysfunction. The preliminary results of the phase 1 trial showed cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) may be effective against congenital heart failure. Objective: To determine if intracoronary delivery of autologous CDCs improves cardiac function in patients with single ventricle physiology. Methods and Results: We conducted a phase 2 randomized controlled study to assign 41 patients in a 1:1 ratio who had single ventricle physiology undergoing staged-2 or -3 palliation to receive intracoronary infusion of CDCs 4 to 9 weeks after surgery or staged reconstruction alone (study A). The primary outcome measure was to assess cardiac function improvement at 3-month follow-up. Four months after palliation, controls had an alternative option to receive late CDC-infusion upon request (study B). Secondary outcomes included ventricular function, heart failure status, somatic growth, and health-related quality of life (QOL) after a 12-month observation. At 3 months, the absolute changes in ventricular function were significantly greater in the CDC-treated group than in controls (+6.4% [SD 5.5] vs. +1.3% [3.7]; P=0.003). In study B, a late CDC-infusion in 17 controls increased the ventricular function at 3 months compared with baseline (38.8% [SD 7.7] vs. 34.8% [7.4]; P<0.0001). At 1 year, overall CDC infusion was associated with improved ventricular function (41.4% [SD 6.6] vs. 35.0% [8.2]; P<0.0001) and volumes (P<0.001), somatic growth (P<0.0001) with increased trophic factors production, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and hepatocyte growth factor, and QOL, along with a reduced heart failure status (P<0.0001) and cardiac fibrosis (P=0.014) relative to baseline. Conclusions: Intracoronary infusion of CDCs after staged palliation favorably affected cardiac function by reverse remodeling in patients with single ventricle physiology. This impact may improve heart failure status, somatic growth, and QOL in patients, and reduce parenting stress for their families. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01829750.