Usefulness of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor in Patients With a Large Anterior Wall Acute Myocardial Infarction to Prevent Left Ventricular Remodeling (The Rigenera Study)

Intracoronary injection of bone marrow stem cells seems to improve left ventricular (LV) function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) could improve myocardial function and perfusion noninvasively through mobilization of stem cells into peripheral blood, although previous clinical trials have produced controversial results. Forty-one patients with large anterior wall AMI at high risk of unfavorable remodeling were randomized 1:2 to G-CSF (10 μg/kg/day for 5 days) or to conventional therapy. All patients underwent successful primary or rescue percutaneous coronary intervention. LV function was assessed by echocardiography before G-CSF administration, ≥5 days after AMI, and at follow-up. Only patients with a LV ejection fraction