Safety and neurological assessments after autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in subjects with chronic spinal cord injury.

Introduction: The administration of stem cells holds promise as a potential therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI). Mesenchymal stem cells have advantages for clinical applications, since they can be easily obtained, are suitable for autologous transplantation and have been previously shown to induce regeneration of the spinal cord in experimental settings. Here we evaluated the feasibility, safety and potential efficacy of autologous transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in subjects with chronic complete SCI.

[Clinical and laboratory aspects of acute bacterial meningitis in infants].

Objective: to describe clinical and laboratorial characteristics of acute bacterial meningitis in infants.

Method: data from the prospective follow-up of infants with acute bacterial meningitis, admitted at the Hospital Couto Maia between March and December 1997, were analyzed with specific statistical software.

Results: acute bacterial meningitis was more prevalent in infants with ages varying from 6 months to 1 year.