Low-level Laser Therapy to the Bone Marrow to Stimulate Stem Cells that Home in on the Post-myocardial Infarction Tissue in Humans: Safety and Feasibility Study

Background: Adjuntive cell-based therapy offers a supplementary mode of treatment, to coronary reperfusion, in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) have been found to have a photobiostimulatory effect on various biological processes.

Study Aim: Determine the short- and long-term safety and feasibility of the application of LLLT to the bone marrow (BM) in AMI patients.

Methods: Naïve patient suffers acute ST segment elevation MI, candidates to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) were included. In the active group, LLLT was applied to the tibia bone for 100 seconds non-invasively prior to PPCI, 24 and 72 hrs post-PPCI. The control group had the same protocol, but the LLLT source was powered-off. Blood samples were taken on admission and during first week post MI. Echocardiography performed 1, 20 and 270 days after PPCI.

Results: Twenty four patients were enrolled, twelve in each group. High sensitive Troponin-I levels at 24 hours post MI were 3.9 ± 2.8 ng/L for the active group and 5.3± 4.1 ng/L for the placebo group. Area under curve of CPK release were 205±95 for the laser group with statistical trend (P<0.12) to be lower than the value 358±107 in the placebo group (Figure 1). Leukocytes and platelets count in blood post MI remained similar to admission values in each group, without statistical differences between the groups. The door-to-balloon time was 41.8±6 min in the laser group compared with 48.1±4 in the control group. No adverse effects were observed. . The heart function evaluated by ECHO are pending.

Conclusion: Applying LLLT to the BM in order to photobiostimulate stem cells for the benefit to repair the infarcted heart, may be cardioprotective effect is a safe procedure in humans, and offers a novel approach in cell therapy adjunctive to the PPCI.