“Latest Stem Cells News”

As we are gearing up for the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting this week in Barcelona, Dr. Fernandez Vina has provided us with results from his stem cell research clinical study using Adult Stem Cells for the lung diseases COPD and Emphysema.

Last week, I posted on Dr. Fernandez Vina’s process of treating COPD and emphysema patients. Therefore, this week I can share his results of patients treated with their own Adult Stem Cells in his research study.

IMPROVEMENT OF COPD AND EMPHYSEMA WITH AMINISTRATION OF UNFRACTIONS AUTOLOGOUS BONE MARROW ( WORLD PIONEER EXPERIENCE FROM ARGENTINA)

The Stem Cell Doctors

Author Block: R. J. Fernandez Vina1,2, J. Saslvsky3, J. Ferrerira da Silva Lima4, O. Andrin1, F. Fernandez Vina1, F. Vrsalovic1, L. Camozzi1, L. Vazquez Sosa5, M. Saslavsky6;
1San Nicolas Clinic FernandezVina Foundation, San Nicolas (Buenos Aires), ARGENTINA, 2Maimonides University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, 3Medicine School University of Rosario Argentina, Rosario, ARGENTINA, 4San Nicolas Clinic Fernandez Vina Foundation, San Nicolas (Buenos Aires), ARGENTINA, 5Hospital de la Mujer, El Salvador, EL SALVADOR, 6San Nicolas Clinic & Hospital, San Nicolas, ARGENTINA.

The Goal of the Stem Cell Research Study

Objectives: To present the first reports and follow up from Argentina of 33 patients, that carry severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Emphysema treated with Autologous Bone Marrow stem cells.

All patients have smoking history for 30-40 years, quit smoking for at least 6 years. Using oxygen 2 lpm 24/7, Ipratropium, nebulizaded Salbuterol , prednisone. Grade III-IV short of breath.

Before Stem Cell Therapy

Laboratory Data:  (Before Adult Stem Cell Treatment)

Forced vital capacity: 0.5 l (12%), VEF1: 0,30 l (10%) y 0,42 l (13%) post-bronchiodilator, FEF 25-75: 0,14 l/sec(8%), MVV: 11 l/min(10%); TLC: 2.90 l/min (46%), Diffusion Capacity: 10.2 ml/mmHg/min (64%).

The patients were submitted in a procedure to extract 600 ml of bone marrow, that presented: Total cells 9184 x10p6/ ml, Total mononuclears 3218 x10p6/ml, CD34+: 4,8 x10p6/ml, CD34+CD38-: 0,72 x10p6/ml. Using IV infusion, in a rhythm of infusion of 300 ml/h .

The Results of the Adult Stem Cells for COPD and Emphysema Research Study

Evolution and Results: After 60 days of the procedure all the patients were submitted to clinical and laboratorial controls, which presented: Saturation 95-97% in room air, while exercising, free of oxygen. Dispnea Grade 2, decreased of the required medication to 1 Salbuterol nebulization per day in all cases and 12 of them with 1 doses of Ipratropio per day, All patients decreased the doses of prednisone and finally quit with this medication totally.

Laboratory data: Forced Vital Capacity: 1,94 l , VEF1: 0,69 l y 0,88 l, FEV25-79: 0,38 l/sec, MVV: 58 l/min, TLC is normal, Diffusion Capacity is Normal.

Did the Adult Stem Cells Work?

Conclusions: The autologous adult stem cell from Unfractions Autologous Bone Marrow implanted in lung improved the pulmonary function in patients with terminal lung diseases.

Other Stem Cell Research Studies from Dr. Fernandez Vina

You may also be interested in Dr. Fernandez Vina’s results when he treated Diabetes Type 2 patients with their own Adult Stem Cells.  See the Stem Cell for Diabetes Type 2 Research Study here.

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As part of a new stem cell treatment series, I am trying to find patients who have been helped by Adult Stem Cell research and therapy.  In May, I featured a Multiple Sclerosis patient named Arndt Roehlig who described his successful  stem cell experience in Israel in his own words.

Barry Brown- Stem Cell Study Volunteer

This time, I present Barry Brown, a heart attack victim who was involved in a stem cell research study at the University of Miami.  We had presented Barry before back in May in this stem cell post .  Barry was kind enough to write to me and wished to present his own stem cell success story in his own words.

A Stem Cell Success Story

Hey Don,  Barry here,  sorry its taken so long for me to do this but here goes.

Last February,  after moving from Las Vegas to Miami upon retiring from 20 years in the Air Force, I started getting a dry cough which upon doing some research on my own was attributed to the use of lisinopril.   My cough cleared up but I realized when i would start exerting during exercise I would get a hot flash down the middle of my shoulder blades I would just shrug it off thinking it was just the side effects of the BP drug. A few weeeks went by and I got a cold and I started coughing so much I coughed my chest sore and couldn’t breathe.  After about 10 days of suffering with this I finally went to the doctor.   An Ekg was conducted and the results came back Abnormal.  I’m like ok, Ive been exercising eating well, no caffiene, no Nicotine ( I had Dipped tobacco on and off for 20 yrs) I had just stopped in February.  So I thought  “whats going on?”

Heart Attack Misdiagnosed

The first diagnosis was I was out of shape and needed to lose about 10 lbs. Hmmmm ok ill buy that i need to lose a few lbs, but mind you, just 2  months before that, I was working out 5 days a week doing cardio 45 min a day and weights 3 times a week and teaching 2 circuit training classes so why had my cardiovascular health gone down so quick?? “Im not buying it Doc, run some more tests I want to get back to where i was 2 months ago and I want to make sure 1000% that my heart is healthy to exercise!”

Next test was an echocardiogram that showed some weakening of the lower part of my heart. The  2nd diagnosis was I  need to lose a few lbs and lets see how you are in a month…..”

I thought to myself ” how am I going to lose any weight?  first off if  I cant walk 15 minutes without feeling like i got 1000 slaps on the back for a good game????”

Watching Hugh Laurie and House Saves Barry’s Life

OK look Doc i said,  “Im no bleeping doctor, but Ive watched enough ER episodes and House to know you can run some dye thru my veins and check my arteries and valves.  I dont know what its called but thats what i want!!!!”

Thallium stress test was what i had done, I stayed on the treadmill about 4 min before I had to get off, the nurse said stay here we want to read the results……. the results were read and off to the 7th floor I went to meet with the Cardiac folks

I met with the Cardiologist he explained to me that they thought there was a blockage in my heart but they want to run a cath up my leg and angioplasty the blockage and put a stent in and that it should take no longer thatn 30 min. He said when can you come back mind you it had been about 2 months since it all first started so i said TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day of the Cardiac cath comes, I get on the table and I’m on the table for what seemed like an eternity. The doctor  comes in and says “Mr. Brown we have a few things we need to discuss with you,  some options for you.  Did you know you’ve already had a heart attack?  Fighting back some tears and trying to regain some composure from the lil self deprecation and a little self pity that went through  my mind for a few minutes then a conscious decision made I wasn’t going to let this situation get the best of me. “Ok Doc what are the options???”

The options were laid out…..

1. Option 1 was have a triple bypass get it over with and start living the life I was living just 12 months earlier.
2. Option 2 enter into this radical new study involving stem cell therapy, help open the doors for new research and possibly ways were we can change the lives of others from now on. Where at the time of your surgery you may be injected with your own stem cells at several different areas on your heart with the hopes of healing some of the damaged tissue from your heart attack.  Hmmm that sounded interesting……

As I waited to hear option 3 which was I’m sure going to be take this pill go home and come back in a month you should be fine– it never came I was stuck with two options I guess……

So to me it was a no brainier-  enter into this study have the opportunity to be the FIRST devilishly handsome charming semi fit veteran to have this procedure done and open the doors for other to follow. PERFECT….. There pains and trails, as well as numerous sleepless nights that I had to endure of course this is real life, there was a point in Aug where tests had shown I had an enlarged prostrate so I needed to have to have a biopsy done to be cleared of cancer so  I could remain in the study. So, there I was thinking to myself wow I have Heart disease and prostrate cancer. I needed to be cancer free because if I had cancer when injected with the Stem cells it could move to the cancer and make it spread faster.

SO after a bunch more tests to get me back into the study since it had been over three months for all the initial work I was finally cleared back in…..

Then finally the date, Nov 20 2008 triple bypass day….. I’m lobbing congress to have that a legal holiday so you’ll have Veterans Day, Barry’s Bypass day and Thanksgiving all in Nov…

The 3 days I spent, no 4 days I spent in the hospital were a blur and that is where I made my mind up that I was going to get back on my feet and get busy getting healthy again. And it started with one of my post op meals ribeye steak and French fries……. Ok so the dietician was off the week I was in ICU no biggie….. Ill just get something else off the MENU…..

Of course anyone who has stayed in a Hospital knows you don’t get any rest in the hospital,  it really started with my release from the Hospital and qtr mile walks after 7 days,  to half mile walks after 2 weeks and pretty much adding mileage up to 3 miles in February when I started walking with a 30 lb pack 3 times a week. I’ve had days where my chest hurt so bad I didn’t want to do it but I pushed myself to do it so I could start strengthening my heart and get better so my quality of life would improve.

It has been a long road its been a challenge but with the great help of the Miami VA and the University of Miami Doctors and staff and the support of friends and family my outlook hasn’t looked better, From last summers 3 clogged arteries and not being able to walk a qtr mile, to my own fitness training and life expectancy its all good.

Its been pretty much a whirlwind the last week I was asked to be at the dedication of a new Stem cell research lab located with in the school of Medicine at UM and I did a TV interview the other day and word on the street  is that Mens Health wants to interview me also so more to come on that. Also with the help of one of my marketing friends Glen Werstler in Ohio and his marketing group at page gravy had started me out with my own web page and Non profit organization called One Heart to start foundation. I’m excited to try to get people more aware about this medical breakthrough. thanks for taking your time and reading.

Sincerely

Barry

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The song “Take another little piece of my heart” by Janis Joplin has new meaning today as doctors in Los Angeles have taken Adult Stem Cells directly from a heart attack patient’s heart and used those stem cells to treat the patient in an adult stem cell research study.

As part of a Phase 1 clinical research study, Dr. Eduardo Marban, of Ceders Sinai Hospital, did a minimally invasive biopsy and took a piece of Kenneth Milles heart muscle after Kenneth had suffered a heart attack.

The piece of his heart was sent to a lab where the Adult Stem Cells were cultivated to produce millions of Kenneth’s heart stem cells. 4 weeks later, the stem cells were implanted back into Kenneth’s heart muscle. The goal to help regenerate the damaged heart tissue from the heart attack.

From the stem cell article:

“We seek to actually reverse the injury that has been caused by the heart attack, by re-growing new heart muscle to at least partially replace the scar that’s formed,” says Dr. Eduardo Marban of Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

Doctors are using stem cells, the body’s master cells, because they can transform into different kinds of tissue.

Marban says, “These cells that we’re putting in come from the heart itself, and are predestined to generate heart muscle and blood vessels.”

Other types of stem cells, like bone marrow, have been studied for heart repair, but with mixed results. Animal studies indicate heart stem cells do a better job. The problem is: the heart has so few stem cells that researchers have to grow more.

And they did grow more- doesn’t seem like that big a problem.   Hopefully the money for this problem came from the California taxpayers- at least that would be the first positive that ever came out of their stem cell funding- using heart stem cells to help people.  However, the cynic in me says that is not the case.  I’m guessing it was privately funded.

Kenneth was the first patient treated with this method and the results are not in yet.  However, why wouldn’t it work? The patient’s own Adult Stem Cells are used.  The patient has nothing to lose.

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Sierra Rose Hill, a young girl from Australia with cerebral palsy who was already helped by Adult Stem Cells is off again to Germany for a 2nd stem cell treatment.  Sierra went to Germany in December, 2008 for the therapy with her own stem cells and it paid big dividends.  We first covered Sierra here in this stem cell post in March

Adult Stem Cells Successful First Time- Now Going for Two!

As a result of the first stem cell treatment, Sierra got “looser” in her limbs, more flexibility and a better ability to control her tongue. Sierra responded so well to her own Adult Stem Cells that her parents have now raised enough money to return to Germany for more stem cell therapy.

Stem Cell Research Documentary

Sierra and her parents are leaving for Germany on June 25th for the treatment. However, this time, they will have company. Pia Niebel is producing a documentary called ‘Little Mountains’ about Sierra and in Pia’s words:

‘Little Mountains’ is an intimate portrayal of an Australian family’s struggle with cerebral palsy and the risks and choices associated with emerging stem cell technologies. It is a character driven documentary that enquires about the current status of adult stem cell treatment and why it is not available in Australia.

Adult Stem Cells Available to Help In Australia? No

I often moan on how adult stem cells are not available in the United States.  However, of course, there are people everywhere who have diseases and conditions that adult stem cells could help.  There is no reason why Australia shouldn’t be making a person’s own stem cells available for treatment as well.

And as Sierra’s father said once  “If that (stem cell treatment) was available in Australia, at an affordable price, if it was at a hospital from a professional service, that could make such a huge difference to people with cerebral palsy and various other conditions,” he said. “I know they want to do their clinical trials. But they are providing this service already around the world. I would like to see it here.”

Pia is looking for funding to help her produce this Adult Stem Cell research documentary which would be a nice step in the right direction in getting Adult Stem Cell treatment approved in Australia.  If you would like to help Pia get the word out, you can contact her here:
Pia Niebel
LIGHT PUZZLE MEDIA
Creative Producer
mobile +61 (0)4 388 77 183
Email: happy@pia.net.au

Here is a preview of Pia’s stem cell research documentary featuring the lovely Sierra and her parents:

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Another congestive heart failure patient has been helped by stem cell research using adult stem cells. Terry Areford, 62, a multiple heart attack victim has been given a 2nd chance at life after receiving Vescell stem cell treatment to heal his heart muscle in Thailand.

Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms

Terry was dying. He was slowing down. He had the usual symptoms of congestive heart failure. He had shortness of breath. He could barely walk 50 feet slowly. However, Terry still had hope. His daughter came across the Vescell website and contacted them.

Adult Stem Cells From Your Own Blood

For those of you unfamiliar with Vescell stem cell therapy in Thailand, it is a process created by a company called Theravitae in which adult stem cells are removed from the patient’s blood (similar to a blood donation) and then multiplied into a therapeutic dose and then implanted into the patient’s heart muscle and/or coronary arteries.

But back to Terry’s stem cell story-

Before Vescell Treatment

• Ejection Fraction 10%
• Could barely walk
• Severe shortness of breath

After Adult Stem Cells Implanted

• Ejection Fraction at 45%
• Plays 3 rounds of golf per week
• No shortness of breath- outside chopping firewood

3 full 18 hole rounds of golf per week? No kidding Terry?  I am very happy for you.   Like many of the Vescell heart patients recently, Terry has become an adult stem cell advocate and wants other congestive heart failure patients to know that there is still hope out there.

You are welcome to call or email Terry  at 304-594-9377 or his email is bkareford@msn.com

Stem Cell Research in Thailand

This is the third stem cell research success story to come out of Thailand in the last month. See stories from heart attack victims and heart failure patients James Eilert and Andy Jordan as well.   Is anyone in the FDA paying attention to this?  Adult Stem Cells can be used now to help these heart patients with no side effects!  Why do they have to leave the United States for it?

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A group of patients who have been helped by stem cell research using Adult Stem Cells have formed a group called the Stem Cell Awareness Association.  This group is growing fast with prospective stem cell patients and even US doctors joining the movement.   They will be holding a Stem Cell Awareness rally this Saturday, June 13th, 2009 in Denver.

Making Others Aware of the Benefits of Adult Stem Cells

The Stem Cell Awareness Association was formed by Carol Peterson.  Carol is the grandmother of Cameron Peterson, a young toddler who was blind from Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, but now can see thanks to stem cell therapy in China using Adult Stem Cells from cord blood.

Educated Freedom of Choice

Carol says the mission of the Stem Cell Awareness Association can be summarized  in four simple words, “Educated Freedom of Choice.

“Our group is mainly made up of patients who have experienced what is really available in other countries and while we don’t want to exert influence over other patients’ decisions, we do want to make them aware that what is available in the U.S. is not representative of what is available throughout the world.”

US Medical Establishment Protecting Patients Or Are They More Worried About Lawsuits and Reputations?

David Aldrich, a spinal cord injury patient who has improved tremendously after his stem cell treatments in China also weighs in on the topic-

“I am worn out from dealing with a medical establishment that does not provide me with the best treatment available and oftentimes tries to stop people like me from seeking treatment abroad under the guise of protecting me,” said Aldrich. “My short-term goal is to let people know that there is help available, no matter what your physician says. But my real goal is focused on bringing people together to figure out what can be done so I don’t have to go abroad for my next treatment.”

If you guessed that David was referring to the American medical establishment not providing him with the best treatment available,  you would be correct.

Too Much Focus On Stem Cell Research and Not Enough Focus On Helping Patients Now With Adult Stem Cells?

While America focuses on “research” using billions of taxpayer dollars, other countries are using Adult Stem Cells now and actually helping patients improve their lives.

For example, take Shel Morse, the mother of Macie Morse, who was legally blind from her optic nerve hypoplasia, but CAN NOW DRIVE!  after receiving adult stem cell therapy in China, she has her say -

“Macie’s journey to stem cells started when she turned 15 and asked for a driving permit. It wasn’t even an option with her current vision, not to mention the fact a vision teacher of hers had stated it was never going to be possible and we should just face reality. At that point I knew that it was my mission to let people know that they don’t necessarily have to live with the diagnosis their local doctors give them.

“Macie’s doctors not only criticized the companies we told them about but actively discouraged us from help overseas – help that they could not offer. The reason why I got behind this organization and decided to set up this event in Denver is because the patients need to join together to have a voice. Our medical society needs to get serious about real health care; we cannot rely on our current system – it is broken. U.S. doctors and scientists need to focus on doing what is necessary to help patients instead of their reputations and how they can make money.”

What else can I say?  Carol, David and Shel said it perfectly.    See the full stem cell press release here

If you are in the Denver area on Saturday, go check them out, you may learn something and for sure you will meet some brave individuals-

All patients who are considering stem cell treatments or have already had stem cell treatments are welcome to join the next Stem Cell Awareness Rally:
Location: Denver, Colorado
Place: Stella’s Coffee House
Date: June 13th, 2009
Time: 2 pm

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