Abstract: Objective To evaluate the efficacy of intrahepatic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell （HUC-MSCs） transplantation in the treatment of patients with hepatitis B-induced decompensated liver cirrhosis （LC）. Methods60 patients with decompensated hepatitis B LC were recruited in this study,and 20 received intrahepatic HUC-MSCs transplantation for once,20 for two to three times,and another 20 received conventional therapy for control. All patients were followed-up for 36 months. Results During the follow-up period,2 patients in multiple cell transplantation group,3 patients in the single cell transplantation group and 5 patients in the control group died;at the end of 36 month follow-up,serum bilirubin,albumin,international ratio of prothrombin time levels and Child-Pugh score in multiple cell transplantation group were（19.8±5.6） μmol/L,（40.6±2.2） g/L,（1.1±1.6） and （5.5±0.48）,much superior as compared with （50.2±4.3） μmol/L,（32.4±4.3） g/l,（1.6±1.3） and （8.9±0.5） in the control group（P<0.05）,or with （30.4±8.6）μmol/L,（35.6±4.8） g/L,（1.4±0.9） and（7.0±0.6） in patients receiving single cell transplantation（P<0.05）;the maximum liver cross-sectional area was（140.2±14.5） cm²,the spleen length was（145.2±19.3） mm and the spleen thickness was （45.8±9.2） mm in the patients receiving multiple cell transplantation,much superior as compared with （134.3±15.6） cm²,（154.7±20.1） mm and （49.9±8.7） mm in the control（P<0.05）. Conclusion Multiple intrahepatic HUC-MSC transplantation in treatment of patients with decompensated hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis might improve liver functions,and the approach is safe and reliable, which worth further investigation.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, Cell transplantation, Efficacy