OBJECTIVETo study the changes of cardiac function following treatment with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction.

METHODSThirty-eight patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction were randomized into G-CSF treatment group and control group. All the patients received conventional treatment (medication and interventional therapy), and the patients in treatment group were given additional G-CSF (600 µg/day) for 7 consecutive days. The plasma level of brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the peripheral blood were detected before and at 7 days and 4 months after the treatment. The cardiac functions (LVSD, EDV, and LVEF) were evaluated by ultrasonic imaging before and at 2 weeks and 4 months after the treatment.

RESULTSThe number of EPCs was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group after the treatment especially at 7 days (P<0.01). In both groups, BNP level was lowered significantly after the treatment to recover the normal level (P<0.01). The cardiac functions were improved in all the patients at 7 days and 4 months after the treatment, and the improvement was more obvious in the treatment group (P<0.05), especially in terms of LVEF at 4 months after the treatment (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEPC mobilization by G-CSF can effectively improve the cardiac functions and lessen ventricular remodeling in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction.