A small scientific study seems to show that stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord would be very effective in treating patients with severe forms of the virus.
In the United States, researchers at the University of Miami in Florida recently made an astonishing discovery, as unexpected as it was promising, the results of which were published on January 6 in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine. After having carried out a clinical trial consisting in administering an intravenous treatment composed of mother cells extracted from the umbilical cord, they were able to observe a real effectiveness.
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This experiment was carried out on 24 patients with the most severe forms of Covid-19 and hospitalized for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. After one month, 91% of patients who received this new treatment survived (and 100% of those under 85) compared to 42% of patients who received a placebo. Overall, the treated patients recovered in just two weeks.
Anti-inflammatory virtues
The mother cells administered to patients extracted from the umbilical cord have a strong anti-inflammatory, but also antimicrobial power. They thus promote tissue regeneration and are active in the lungs. In the clinical trial, each patient received two infusions several days apart, either of umbilical cord stem cells or of placebo. “It was a double blind study. Doctors and patients did not know what was infused, ”says Dr. Ricordi, director of research.
Read also: The umbilical cord: function and care
This medical discovery is promising in terms of care, but also thanks to its accessibility. Indeed, the cells extracted from a single umbilical cord would make it possible to carry out 10,000 treatments! So far, no serious side effects have been seen in the study subjects. Could the thread that connects a child to its mother save us from the virus? It would be a nice story anyway. To be continued…