SCIENTIFIC LETTER Safety of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor in acute myocardial infarction (the Rigenera study)

ntracoronary administration of bone marrow stem cells can improve left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI)1; however, it is invasive and therefore not widely applicable. Moreover, we have recently shown that the CD34 cell count is favourably correlated with left ventricular function changes after AMI.2 Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a potent mobiliser of CD34 stem cells, might improve left ventricular function through their increased concentration. Yet, a recent report raised concern about the safety of early G-CSF administration after AMI, followed by intracoronary cell injection and infarct-related artery (IRA) stenting, because of a strikingly high restenosis rate.3 The aim of our study was to assess the safety and the potential efficacy on cardiac function and perfusion of G-CS