Circulation of CD34+ progenitor cell populations in patients with idiopathic dilated and ischaemic cardiomyopathy (DCM and ICM)

Abstract

Myocardial homing factors are upregulated in ICM when compared with DCM hearts. Reduced homing of stem cells might therefore explain the increased number of CD34(+) cells in DCM patients. These findings may open a new insight into the pathology and the treatment of idiopathic DCM.