Overview
There is a rise in the prevalence of end-stage liver disease during the last decade. End-stage liver disease has become one of the leading causes of death in Western countries. Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. However, the shortage of donor, high cost, and postoperative complications limit its wide application in clinical practice. At present, stem cell-based therapy has been developed as an alternative treatment for end-stage liver disease. Stem cells can be differentiated into a variety of cell types, and stem cell transplantation, mainly umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells, has attracted more and more attention in the treatment of end-stage liver disease. The investigators therefore conduct a randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of human umbilical cord tissue mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of end-stage liver disease.
Description
Twenty-two subjects with end-stage liver disease attending the Department of Gastroenterology of the General Hospital of the Northern Theatre of Operations are expected to be enrolled over a period of 1 year. The participants will be randomly divided into a low-dose stem cell group (1×10^6cells/kg per infusion) and a medium-high-dose stem cell group (3×10^6cells/kg per infusion), which are infused by peripheral vein. The investigators will observe ALT, AST, ALP, TBIL, ALB, PT, INR, MELD score, and Child-Pugh score in patients at weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 post-infusion.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18-80 years old
- End-stage liver disease
- Sign informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Tumours of the liver or other organs
- Liver transplantation recipients
- Acute myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, type I and type II respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, acute cerebral infarction, acute cerebral haemorrhage and other serious cardiopulmonary diseases
- Other diseases that may seriously affect the survival
- Human immunodeficiency syndrome
- Interferon or glucocorticoid therapy within 1 year
- Treated for mental illness
- Participation in other clinical trials within 30 days
- Pregnant or breastfeeding subjects
- Allergic asthma, allergic urticaria, eczema, or a history of multiple drug and food allergies
- Other circumstances that are unsuitable for participation in this study