Larger End-Diastolic Volume Associates With Response to Cell Therapy in Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Objective: To investigate the association of left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and the response to cell therapy in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM).

Patients And Methods: Five-year registry data from 133 consecutive patients with NICM who underwent CD34 cell treatment were analyzed. All patients received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor; CD34 cells were collected by apheresis and delivered by transendocardial injections. Patients with baseline LVEDV less than 200 mL (group A; n=72) and patients with LVEDV 200 to 370 mL (group B; n=54) were included. Patients with LVEDV greater than 370 mL were excluded (n=7). Favorable ejection fraction response was pre-defined by improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than or equal to 5% at 1 y post-cell therapy.

Results: At baseline, groups A and B were comparable with regards to age (52±11 y in group A vs 53±10 y in group B; P=.95), sex (male: 79% vs 83%, respectively; P=.55), creatinine (1.07±0.28 mg/dL vs 1.03±0.21 mg/dL, respectively; P=.21), or N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (1454±1658 pg/mL vs 1589±1338 pg/mL, respectively; P=.80). Baseline LVEF was higher in group A (32.8±8.7%) than in group B (30.2±8.7%; P=.03). During follow-up, there were four deaths in group A (5.6%), and 2 in group B (3.7%, P=.63). At 1-year post-cell therapy, LVEDV decreased significantly in group B (-56±30 mL; P=.003), but not in group A (+12±97 mL; P=.13). On multivariate analysis, baseline LVEDV was an independent correlate of favorable response in LVEF to therapy (P=.02).

Conclusion: Larger LVEDV was associated with more pronounced increase in LVEF after transendocardial CD34 cell therapy in NICM patients, informing target individuals with the highest likelihood of regenerative response.

Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02445534.