CXCL12 and inflammatory response: By multivariate analysis, including LVEF, NT-proBNP, cardiac inflammation (LFA-macrophages), and cardiac SDF-1α mRNA, cardiac inflammation remained the only significant independent predictor for declined numbers of circulating MSC after transcardiac passage (P < 0.001 for trend (ANOVA), B = −0.73, P < 0.005).