2 Cases Suggest Stem Cell Transplant Might Ease 'Stiff Person' Syndrome

TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Two women with a rare disorder called stiff person syndrome recovered after receiving transplants of their own stem cells, a study shows.

Stiff person syndrome is rare neurological disease that causes stiffness of the skeletal muscles and painful muscle spasms. In severe cases, the disorder makes it difficult to move or walk.

Both of the women were treated in Canada by a team led by Dr. Sheilagh Sanders of the University of Ottawa.

Stem cell transplantation using a patient's own cells has been used successfully in patients with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and scleroderma, the team noted. The treatment involves eliminating diseased immune cells and then regenerating the immune system with a person's own stem cells.

One of the women described in the new report began developing stiff person syndrome in 2005 when she was 48, the researchers said. She began suffering from progressively stiffer legs, overactive reflexes and frequent falling. The woman also, "walked with an abnormal 'tin soldier' gait," the team said.

Despite the use of medication, her condition got so bad that by late 2008 she was forced to quit work and had become "socially withdrawn."

Hoping to help, Sanders and her colleagues treated the woman in 2009 with transplanted stem cells taken from the patient's own body.

One month after the procedure, the patient no longer had symptoms and six months after the transplant she had returned to work and was playing sports.

Nearly five years later, the woman is still symptom-free, the team said.

The other woman was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in 2008 at age 30, and had frequent spasms triggered by cold weather or stress. In the year prior to her stem cell transplant, she "made 47 emergency medical services calls with subsequent hospital visits and had required intensive care unit admission," Sanders' team said.

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2 Cases Suggest Stem Cell Transplant Might Ease 'Stiff Person' Syndrome

Adult Stem Cell Public Lecture New York Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group

New York, California (PRWEB) August 28, 2014

The Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group announces a series of free public seminars on the use of adult stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief, and, Dr. Nia M. Smyrniotis, Medical Director.

The seminars will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2014, at 2pm and 4pm at the City Limits Diner, at 135 Harvard Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902. Please RSVP at (917) 410-7391.

The Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group is an affiliate of the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, which abide by investigational protocols using adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) which can be deployed to improve patients quality of life for a number of degenerative and chronic inflammatory conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (found within a cellular mixture called stromal vascular fraction (SVF). ADSCs are exceptionally abundant in adipose tissue. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly adult autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.

ADSCs are the body's natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys injured cells. The Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group and the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center only use Adult Autologous Stem Cells from a person's own fat No embryonic stem cells are used. Current areas of study include: Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Heart Failure, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease, and degenerative orthopedic joint conditions. For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the adult stem cell protocols offered by the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group or Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Gionis or Dr. Nia directly at (917) 410-7391, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com or http://www.NYStemCellsUSA.com.

About Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group and the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center: The Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group and The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center is an affiliate of the Cell Surgical Network (CSN); they are located in Manhattan, NY; Miami, Boca Raton, and Orlando, Florida. We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group and the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Health, Office of Human Research Protection; and the study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information visit our website: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com or http://www.NYStemCellsUSA.com.

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Adult Stem Cell Public Lecture New York Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group

Fund efforts keep rolling

Aug. 27, 2014, noon

FUND-RAISING for Troy Eccleston's trip to Russia to receive life-changing stem cell treatment for multiple sclerosis continues.

Zoe Cairns, Taleah Cairns and Patrick Jennings have a blast at the Albion Park Youth and Community Care open day, which raised funds for Troy Eccleston's treatment. Picture: GEORGIA MATTS

FUND-RAISING for Troy Eccleston's trip to Russia to receive life-changing stem cell treatment for multiple sclerosis continues.

The Albion Park Rail resident is due to fly out in mid-September.

Meanwhile, several fund-raisers have been held, with the latest, a family open day at Albion Park Community Centre, successfully raising $1454.95 to go towards Troy's Treatment Fund.

To date more than $32,000 has been raised of the estimated $70,000 needed to cover his trip to Russia.

The next event will be at Albion Park Bowling Club on Friday, September 5, from 7pm and has been designed to be a fun night with music, games, auctions, psychic readings and finger food.

Cost is $30 and to book phone Cheryl on 0417 001 480.

Anyone unable to attend but wanting to donate can do so online at APYACC Troy's Treatment Fund BSB 802 124 Acc. No 100074208.

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Fund efforts keep rolling

Stem cell treatment helps arthritic dogs

Stem cells heal pooches in pain MIKE MATHER

NICK REED/Fairfax NZ

HAPPY HOUND: Shiloh with owner Adele Holland. She is a different dog since having stem cell injections to relieve arthritis pain, Holland says.

Three years ago australian shepherd dog Shiloh was diagnosed with a severe case of degenerative arthritis that left her limping slowly towards her deathbed.

As time went on, and to the dismay of her Horotiu family, Shiloh became increasingly stiff, was soon no longer able to jump, could barely walk without pain, and eventually had to be carried outside to the toilet.

But, remarkably, the 10-year-old pet is not only still alive today, she is walking and jumping without a trace of pain.

It's a physical improvement her owner Adele Holland describes as "nothing short of a miracle".

Shiloh's recovery is something dozens of arthritic Waikato dogs have now experienced after stem cell injections, a treatment technique adopted by Hamilton veterinarian practice CareVets.

Veterinarian Ivan Aleksic said Shiloh was the first dog to receive stem cells. His practice had successfully repeated the $2600 treatment on more than 40 dogs with arthritis. He described stem cells as "the body's own repair cells".

"They have the ability to divide and differentiate into many different types of cells based on where they are needed throughout the body. They can divide and turn into tissues such as skin, fat, muscle, bone, cartilage and nerve to name a few.

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Stem cell treatment helps arthritic dogs

Stem-cell transplant eases symptoms of rare stiff person syndrome: study

Canadian doctors have begun using stem cell transplants to treat stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which a patients leg and other muscles suddenly contract painfully, often leaving them immobilized like a tin soldier.

The disorder, which affects an estimated one in a million people, occurs when the immune system turns against a persons own tissues, in this case attacking cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Stem cell transplants have been used to treat patients with other auto-immune diseases, among them multiple sclerosis, scleroderma and Crohns disease, but this may be the first time the procedure has been employed to alleviate the symptoms of stiff person syndrome, or SPS, the researchers reported Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology.

SPS is characterized by episodes of stiffness in the muscles and painful muscle spasms, which can be brought on by stress, loud noises or emotional distress. Some people with the disorder are so disabled they are unable to walk or move and may isolate themselves at home to avoid triggering an attack.

Sometimes this happens when theyre startled, said Dr. Harry Atkins of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the Ottawa Hospital, who headed a team that transplanted stem cells into two women with the disease.

So you can imagine walking across the street and someone honks the horn and you cant move, or you start falling and because your muscles cant move, you just fall and you hurt yourself, Atkins said Monday from Ottawa.

It really does provide a barrier with just going on with your life.

Tina Ceroni of Toronto is one of the two SPS patients who had the stem-cell transplant and she said it has given back her life.

The personal fitness trainer, now 36, started getting severe symptoms in her late 20s. Initially she was diagnosed with hyponatremia, or low blood sodium, thought to be related to her heavy training schedule for a half-ironman competition.

But when she tried to water-ski at a friends cottage and had to be helped from the water because she was unable to move, Ceroni knew that there was something definitely not right.

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Stem-cell transplant eases symptoms of rare stiff person syndrome: study

Stem cells for sports injuries; gastric bypass and the gut biome

Q: My daughter plays college soccer and ruptured her ACL. The coaches mentioned stem cell injections that some big-name athletes have used to recover from injuries. Should we consider them? Paige R., Chicago

A: Professional athletes are always looking for the fastest way to heal their injuries. In 2010, Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon was treated for a torn rotator cuff with injections of fat and bone marrow adult stem cells; he's playing for the Mets this season. And in 2011, Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning opted for injections of his own fat stem cells to try to get over a neck injury. Two years later, he had a record-breaking season and took the Broncos to the Super Bowl. But does this mean the injections worked? Nope.

Colon's agent attributes the pitcher's career turnaround to a re-dedication to the game, not the injections, and Manning followed up his stem cell treatment with major surgery and intense rehab (done in secret).

There's just no solid evidence yet that injections of adult bone marrow (or fat) stem cells effectively regenerate and repair damaged tendons or ligaments, and you cannot be certain of what the injections contain or their side effects. They often are delivered in an unregulated environment and aren't FDA-approved.

We suspect your daughter is headed for reconstructive surgery and six months of rehab. Then she needs to learn new ways to move so she reduces stress on her knees. One metastudy found that two ACL-injury-prevention regimens were effective: Sportsmetrics promotes leg and core strength, increases vertical jump height and may improve speed and agility; the Prevent Injury and Enhance Performance (PEP) program, makes a big difference in the flexion strength of the knee. Both improve athletic performance tests and reduce injury rates. Rehab is tough, and there are no shortcuts, but we bet your daughter has the grit to do it!

Q: I had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery last year, and my blood glucose levels were almost normal even before I lost any weight. How is that possible? Marty Z., Jupiter, Florida

A: Congrats, Marty. We hope you're continuing to have such good results. It is amazing that bypassing part of your stomach and intestine could have such an immediate effect on your blood sugar levels, and just recently researchers have figured out why that happens sometimes. It seems to have something to do with the bacteria that live in your digestive tract, also called your gut biome.

Roux-en-Y surgery bypasses most of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. That's where a lot of your gut bacteria live and where they influence gut hormones that regulate appetite, insulin use, glucose levels and more. So right away, the surgery decreases levels of hormones that regulate appetite; you can eat less without being hungry. That alone lowers glucose levels and increases the effectiveness of your body's insulin supply.

Also, when you have diabetes, your gut bacteria are thrown out of balance; the bad guys overwhelm the good guys (like bifidobacteria and lactobacillus). And that means the hormones that affect how cells get and use glucose can't do their job. The glucose stays in your bloodstream instead of being used as fuel by your cells. But once a lot of the bad gut bacteria are bypassed, your gut biome snaps back into balance and the bacteria and hormones work together to regulate blood sugar levels.

So we suggest you keep your gut biome balanced and happy with a healthy diet of five or more servings of fruits and veggies a day. Asparagus, garlic, cooked onions and dandelion greens deliver prebiotics that help good-for-you gut bacteria thrive. Fermented foods like nonfat kefir and kimchi contain healthful probiotics. Also, avoid saturated fats and added sugars they just make your biome miserable. And we like daily spore probiotic supplements containing bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 and lactobacillus GG.

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Stem cells for sports injuries; gastric bypass and the gut biome

46 2 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) – After stem cell treatment – Video

46 2 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) - After stem cell treatment
Ning, a 26-year-old guy, happened to fall down from a high level in September, 2006, which led to his spinal cord injury of C4-C5 and remained quadriplegia, incontinence of urination and bowl...

By: Stem Cells

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46 2 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) - After stem cell treatment - Video

AFL approves stem-cell treatment

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from the AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

Sydney-based Regeneus has revealed it was recently given permission for its HiQCell treatment on players suffering from such issues as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy.

The treatment is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency if it is performance-enhancing but allowed if it is solely to treat injuries.

Regeneus commercial development director Steven Barberasaid the regenerative medicine company had sought approval from the AFL for what the company says is "innovative but not experimental" treatment.

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"In 2013, Regeneus sought and received clearance from ASADA [Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority] for its proprietary HiQCell therapy for use with athletes who participate in sporting competitions subject to the WADA Anti-Doping Code. The AFL is one of many professional sports bodies which applies the WADA Anti-Doping Code within its regulations for players," he said.

"In March this year, the AFL introduced a Prohibited Treatments List as an additional level of scrutiny over and above the WADA code for player treatments. In light of this, Regeneus made a submission to the AFL to confirm that our specific treatment is not prohibited under that list. Subsequently, the chief medical officer of the AFL has recently communicated with our primary Melbourne-based HiQCell medical practitioner that the treatment is not prohibited and can be administered on a case-by-case basis to players.

"We anticipate documented confirmation of this outcome in the near future from the AFL.

"To our knowledge, the permission is specific to HiQCell and not necessarily to cell-based therapies in general."

The AFL confirmed it had given approval on a "case-by-case" basis.

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AFL approves stem-cell treatment

AFL approves stem-cell therapy

Aug. 24, 2014, 2:09 a.m.

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

An Australian-based biomedical company has been given approval from the AFL to use stem-cell therapy on players recovering from injury.

Sydney-based Regeneus has revealed it was recently given permission for its HiQCell treatment on players suffering from such issues as osteoarthritis and tendinopathy.

The treatment is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency if it is performance-enhancing but allowed if it is solely to treat injuries.

Regeneus commercial development director Steven Barberasaid the regenerative medicine company had sought approval from the AFL for what the company says is "innovative but not experimental" treatment.

"In 2013, Regeneus sought and received clearance from ASADA [Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority] for its proprietary HiQCell therapy for use with athletes who participate in sporting competitions subject to the WADA Anti-Doping Code. The AFL is one of many professional sports bodies which applies the WADA Anti-Doping Code within its regulations for players," he said.

"In March this year, the AFL introduced a Prohibited Treatments List as an additional level of scrutiny over and above the WADA code for player treatments. In light of this, Regeneus made a submission to the AFL to confirm that our specific treatment is not prohibited under that list. Subsequently, the chief medical officer of the AFL has recently communicated with our primary Melbourne-based HiQCell medical practitioner that the treatment is not prohibited and can be administered on a case-by-case basis to players.

"We anticipate documented confirmation of this outcome in the near future from the AFL.

"To our knowledge, the permission is specific to HiQCell and not necessarily to cell-based therapies in general."

Link:
AFL approves stem-cell therapy

46 1 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) – Before stem cell treatment – Video

46 1 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) - Before stem cell treatment
Ning, a 26-year-old guy, happened to fall down from a high level in September, 2006, which led to his spinal cord injury of C4-C5 and remained quadriplegia, incontinence of urination and bowl...

By: Stem Cells

See original here:
46 1 Ning -spinal cord injury of C4-C5 (male, 26-year-old) - Before stem cell treatment - Video