Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for treating elderly vascular dementia

This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (HUC-MSC) transplantation for treating elderly vascular dementia (VaD). Ten VaD patients (average age, 73.88 years old) were treated. HUC-MSCs were isolated, cultured, stem cell-marked, and qualified and administered as a 3-course intravenous infusion to these patients. The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and the Activities of Daily Living Index (Barthel Index scoring system) were used to assess the cognitive function and daily living activity improvements in these patients before transplantation (T0), 3 months after transplantation (T1), and 6 months after transplantation (T2). The MMSE and Barthel Index scores were 15.80 +/- 5.49 and 42.00 +/- 9.33 points at T0, respectively, and were significantly different when compared with those at T1 (19.20 +/- 6.39 and 49.20 +/- 10.86 points, respectively, P < 0.05), whereas there was no difference when compared with those at T2 (14.00 +/- 6.55 and 40.70 +/- 10.37 points, respectively, P > 0.05). HUC-MSC transplantation was safe and feasible for VaD and improved early cognitive functions and daily living activities in VaD patients to a certain extent, thus improving patients' quality of life.