Vaskulárna medicína 3/2016

Biological and hematological aspects of cell therapy critical limb ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) represents an advanced disease state of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). CLI is associated with poor prognosis, when within 12 months 22% patients undergo major amputation while mortality accounts for 12-33%. Standard treatment of CLI is prompt surgical or endovascular revascularization. However, a considerable proportion of patients are not eligible to these treatment strategies. Conservative treatment without revascularization is almost invariably followed by major limb amputation. After the success in pilot studies, the cell-based therapy is emerging as promising alternative for CLI patients. The aim of treatment is stimulation of angiogenesis by cellular components as well as exogenous molecular and cellular agents.

Keywords: stem cells, critical limb ischemia, angiogenesis, cell treatment