Atopic dermatitis is a skin condition that causes inflammation and severe itching. It is a chronic disease that can come and go, and it can affect a person’s emotional and psychological well-being. The condition is quite common, where about 1 in 10 to 1 in 20 children and 1 in 20 adults are affected by it at some point in their lives.
The treatment of atopic dermatitis varies depending on the severity of the disease. In severe cases, patients may need to take immunosuppressants, but these drugs can cause severe side effects over time. Some patients also do not achieve complete relief from their symptoms, even with biologic medications that target specific cytokines.
For those who have moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, MSC therapy could be the answer they’ve been searching for. This promising treatment can help reduce inflammation and alleviate itching with long-term safety and efficacy. In fact, studies have shown that MSCs can produce a near-complete resolution of disease symptoms in some patients – something not possible with standard treatments.
MSCs are also safer than immunosuppressants since they target specific cytokines and don’t require multiple administrations. Therefore, there is hope that MSC therapy could be an effective and safe solution for those dealing with chronic atopic dermatitis. With further research and clinical trials, this option may become more widely available soon enough – giving AD sufferers a new way to find relief and better manage their condition.
A clinical trial, Long-term efficacy and safety of intravenous injection of clonal mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow in five adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, looked into the potential of stem cell therapy for patients who suffer from eczema and do not respond to traditional treatments.
Results of the Study
The clinical trial was conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment option for patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who were not responding to conventional treatments. The trial involved administering multiple doses of bone marrow-derived stem cells to five adult patients.
The treatment consisted of giving the patients a specific dose of stem cells intravenously three times every two weeks for four weeks. After the treatment period, the patients were followed up for 12 weeks to monitor their symptoms. The patients were then monitored every two months to evaluate the long-term safety and effectiveness of the treatment.
During the trial, blood samples were taken from the patients to measure certain cytokine biomarkers that are related to inflammation. The researchers analyzed cytokines including CCL-17, CCL-22, IL-13, IL-17, IL-18 and IL-22 as well as IgE. The levels of these biomarkers were monitored using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Through this study researchers hope to prove that MSC therapy has a real chance of alleviating symptoms in those struggling with chronic atopic dermatitis.
The results of the trial showed that the stem cell therapy was effective in improving the symptoms of AD in the patients. All patients completed at least one cycle of the clinical trial, and four patients were subjected to a second cycle due to exacerbation of AD symptoms. The treatment was safe, and there were no serious adverse effects reported.
The results showed that four out of five patients achieved a significant reduction in symptoms and improved their quality of life, with two patients maintaining long-term efficacy without the need for systemic steroids or immunomodulators.
The levels of these biomarkers were monitored using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After the treatment, the patients were followed up for an average of 38 weeks to check how long the improved symptoms were maintained without additional use of systemic steroids and systemic immunomodulators.
The trial showed that the stem cell therapy was effective in reducing the symptoms of AD in the patients. There were no serious adverse effects reported, and the improvements in symptoms were maintained over a long period of time. The biomarker analysis showed that some cytokines decreased significantly after the treatment, which suggests that the stem cell therapy may have an immunomodulatory effect.
The study also found that patients with high levels of the cytokine IL-17 responded well to the stem cell therapy. This suggests that the therapy may be particularly effective for people with high levels of this cytokine in their blood.
The therapeutic effects of MSC could arise from multiple sources such as engraftment & transdifferentiating, immunomodulation and paracrine effect due to exosomes containing various functional factors released from MSCs. Though temporary presence of administered MSC was noted in recipients’ bodies – it still contributed to enhanced healing process through changing microenvironment in affected tissues over a long period of time leading up to study’s completion.
However, the study had some limitations, such as a small sample size and the lack of control over the type of stem cell lines used in the therapy. Further research is needed to confirm the long-term effectiveness and safety of the therapy and to better understand how it
