Patients’ own blood stem cells combined with immune suppression have provided effective treatment of Type 1 diabetes in human patients, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. From the report:
During a 7- to 36-month follow-up (mean 18.8), 14 [out of 15] patients became insulin-free (1 for 35 months, 4 for at least 21 months, 7 for at least 6 months; and 2 with late response were insulin-free for 1 and 5 months, respectively). Among those, 1 patient resumed insulin use 1 year after AHST...The only acute severe adverse effect was culture-negative bilateral pneumonia in 1 patient and late endocrine dysfunction (hypothyroidism or hypogonadism) in 2 others. There was no mortality.Repeat after me: Embryonic stem cells offer the best hope...Embryonic stem cells offer the best hope...Embryonic stem cells offer the best hope...Embryonic stem cells offer the best hope.......Conclusions High-dose immunosuppression and AHST were performed with acceptable toxicity in a small number of patients with newly diagnosed type 1 DM. With AHST, beta cell function was increased in all but 1 patient and induced prolonged insulin independence in the majority of the patients.
