How Tweaking Genes May Fix Broken HeartsPreliminary Results Reveal Some Benefit for Gene Therapy to Treat Heart FailureReplenishing the supply of a gene that controls the way heart muscle cells work appears to slow progression of heart failure, a disease that will be diagnosed in about 670,000 Americans this year. Replenishing the supply of a gene that controls the way heart muscle cells work appears to slow progression of heart failure, a disease that will be diagnosed in about 670,000 Americans this year. After six months, patients who received the highest dose of the gene therapy had less worsening of a six-minute walk test, as well as evidence of less rapid enlargement or remodeling of the heart, compared with patients in the placebo group. Patients who receive the high dose gene therapy were also likely to have shorter hospitalizations -- an average of 0.2 days versus 2.1 days for patients in the placebo group. |