Suprachoroidal Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation in Patients with Dry-Type Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy: 6-Month Follow-Up Results of a Phase 2 Study


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ÖNER A., GÖNEN Z. B., Sevim D., Kahraman N. S., ÜNLÜ M.

CELLULAR REPROGRAMMING, vol.20, no.6, pp.329-336, 2018 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 20 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2018
  • Doi Number: 10.1089/cell.2018.0045
  • Journal Name: CELLULAR REPROGRAMMING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.329-336
  • Keywords: adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell, dry type age-related macular degeneration, Stargardt's macular dystrophy, suprachoroidal implantation
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This prospective clinical case series aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of suprachoroidal adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADMSC) implantation in patients with dry-type age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt's macular dystrophy (SMD). This study included four patients with advanced-stage dry-type AMD and four patients with SMD who underwent suprachoroidal implantation of ADMSCs. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the study was 20/200. The worse eye of the patient was operated on. Patients were evaluated on the first day, first week, and first, third, and sixth months postopera-tively. BCVA, anterior segment and fundus examination, color photography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, and visual field examination were carried out at each visit. Fundus fluorescein angiography and multifocal electroretinography (mf-ERG) recordings were performed at the end of the first, third, and sixth months and anytime if necessary during the follow-up. All eight patients completed the sixth month follow-up. None of them had any systemic or ocular complications. All of the eight patients experienced visual acuity improvement, visual field improvement, and improvement in mf-ERG recordings. Stem cell treatment with suprachoroidal implantation of ADMSCs seems to be safe and effective in the treatment of dry-type AMD and SMD.