Cell therapy represents a potential regenerative treatment for osteoarthritis. A recent analysis of all relevant published studies indicates that stem cell transplantation from different sources is effective in treating knee osteoarthritis, the most prevalent chronic joint disease.
The review and meta-analysis, published in the Journal of Orthopedic Research , included 16 studies involving 875 patients with knee osteoarthritis (441 in the stem cell transplant group and 434 in the control group).
Stem cell treatment was associated with significant reductions in patient-reported pain beginning at month three. The most significant pain relief in different postoperative months came from stem cells derived from fat and umbilical cord.
The patient’s own fat-derived stem cells resulted in better pain relief compared to those from other donors. Furthermore, stem cells derived from the patient’s own fat led to the most effective recovery of knee joint function.
"Stem cell transplantation was shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis," the authors wrote. "Different sources of stem cells have a good effect on relieving knee joint pain, restoring knee joint function, and minimizing patient trauma."
