Study on the Efficacy and Mechanism of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Stem Cell Mobilization and Heart Failure Improvement

One emerging concept is that some form of injury or inflammation is a prerequisite for the success of circulating-cell participation in differentiated tissue structure and function. Once reperfusion is achieved in acute myocardial infarction, an intense inflammatory cascade is unleashed. The architecture of the left ventricle rearranges, leading to ventricular remodeling. The "homing process"involves stem cell migration to the sites of injury or ischemia, which provides an environment that is favorable to growth and function. This microenvironment is a stimulus for homing and differentiation of stem cells of the appropriate lineage. It increases vascular permeability and expression of adhesion proteins like integrin, along with homing receptors that facilitate the attachment, which is mediated by cell-to-cell contact and chemoattractant release from local tissue injury.The migratory capacity of stem cells might be dependent on natural growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) , stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)and stem cell factor (SCF).The expression of VEGF ,SDF-1 and SCF is highly up-regulated in hypoxic tissue, supporting the hypothesis that these factors may represent homing signals crucial to the recruitment of circulating progenitor cells to assist the endogenous repair mechanisms in the infarcted tissue. This study will examine whether cardiac rehabilitation increases the concentration of stem cell factors released into the bloodstream and if these factors are correlated with the improvement of heart function.

Inclusion Criteria: myocardial infarction with CK more than 3000, status post revascularization therapy, clinical stable with regular follow-up at OPD, NYHA II-III - Exclusion Criteria:sustained ventricular arrhythmia, hypertrophy cardiomyopathy, intolerance to exercise program -