Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Caused by COVID-19

A 73-year-old manAutologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy

Patient: A 73-year-old man
Diagnosis: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Caused by COVID-19 (Confirmed in 2020; developed on the 5th day of hospitalization)
Treatment: A single intravenous infusion of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (9×10⁷ cells)
Observation: 110 days after administration (at the time of discharge)

Before

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After

Before treatment (6th day of hospitalization) — Chest X-ray, bilateral lower lung field opacitiesPost-treatment (Day 7 of administration) — Chest X-ray, bilateral lower lung field opacities

Point of View	Treatment and Intervention	Observed Changes
Before Treatment (28th Day of Hospitalization)	Tracheotomy	On mechanical ventilation, PaO₂/FiO₂ 134.4 mmHg
On the day of administration	Intravenous Administration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells	PaO₂/FiO₂ 137.4 mmHg · Oxygen saturation 93.2%
Day 3 of treatment		Bilateral ground-glass opacities and a cavity in the right upper lobe on chest CT; oxygen saturation 87.3%
Day 5 of treatment	Add aspirin	Confirmation of a cerebral infarction in the anterior cerebral artery territory accompanied by nystagmus
Day 7 of treatment		Decreased opacity in both lower lung fields on a chest X-ray
Day 14 of treatment		PaO₂/FiO₂ 249.5 mmHg · Oxygen saturation 97.7%
Day 25 of treatment		Weaning from a ventilator
Day 28 of treatment	High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy	PaO₂/FiO₂ 279.4 mmHg · Oxygen saturation 98.2%
Day 110 of administration		Discharged after respiratory rehabilitation; died one month after discharge due to acute kidney injury

Overview

The patient presented to the hospital in March 2020 with fever and fatigue, tested positive for COVID-19, and developed acute respiratory distress syndrome on the fifth day of hospitalization. Despite treatment with chloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, antibiotics, and intravenous steroids, the patient showed no improvement and underwent tracheostomy on the 28th day of hospitalization. In this case, a single intravenous infusion of 9×10⁷ (90 million) allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells cultured from the bone marrow of a healthy donor was administered. Conventional treatments, such as mechanical ventilation, were continued as before.

Progress

No initial adverse reactions, such as allergic reactions, were observed following administration. On day 7, a chest X-ray showed a reduction in bilateral lower lung field opacities, and on day 14, the PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (an oxygenation index) rose to 249.5 mmHg. On day 25, the patient was weaned off the ventilator, and on day 106, a CT scan showed no cavity in the right upper lobe. However, seizures and a cerebral infarction were confirmed on day 5 after administration; the authors noted that, given the combination of various treatments, it could not be conclusively determined that these improvements were due solely to the stem cell therapy. The patient was discharged on day 110 after administration but died one month later from acute kidney injury.

Source Kim K, Bae KS, Kim HS, Lee WY. Effectiveness of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for COVID-19-Induced ARDS Patients: A Case Report. Medicina. 2022;58(12):1698. (CC BY 4.0)

This is an anonymised record of an individual case. Outcomes vary from person to person, and every medical procedure carries the possibility of side effects.

This case does not guarantee any treatment outcome. Stem cell treatment is carried out only within approved clinical research and licensed indications for each condition.