Induced pluripotent stem cell therapies in heart failure treatment: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Background: Heart failure (HF) causes over 266,400 deaths annually. Despite treatment advancements, HF mortality remains high. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer promising new options. This review assesses iPSC-based treatments for HF. Method: the review included studies from PubMed, ScienceDirect and Web of Science. Results: Analysis of 25 studies with 553 animals showed a baseline ejection fraction (EF) of 39.2 +/- 8.9%. iPSC treatment significantly improved EF (MD = 8.6, p < 0.001) and fractional shortening (MD = 6.38, p < 0.001), and reduced ventricular remodeling without increasing arrhythmia risk. Conclusion: iPSC-based therapy improves heart function and reduces ventricular volumes in HF animal models, aligning with promising early clinical trial outcomes.