Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic joint condition that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Specifically, knee osteoarthritis affects more than 250 million people worldwide. This condition leads to joint pain, loss of function, and potentially disability. In fact, osteoarthritis is the second leading cause of work disability in men over the age of 50. These facts outline the need for better osteoarthritis treatments.
Treatments for this condition range from anti-inflammatory drugs to ultrasound. Unfortunately, no current medical treatments are able to address the underlying causes of knee osteoarthritis. The medical community has developed alternative therapies for osteoarthritis, but none have been able to drastically improve patient outcomes.
One of the most promising treatments for knee osteoarthritis is stem cell therapy. There are multiple preclinical and animal studies that showcase the potential benefits of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis. Evaluating the effects of stem cell therapy on knee osteoarthritis patients in real-world, clinical settings is key.
A study, Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis With Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells A Pilot Study, set out to evaluate the feasibility and safety of stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis patients. The study used bone marrow derived stem cells to treat knee osteoarthritis patients. The results of the study were quite promising and showcase the potential of stem cells therapy.
The Results of the Study
The researchers had previously demonstrated that stem cells were safe in treating osteoarthritis in horses, but now set out to treat human patients. Twelve patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis were recruited for the study. The patients had not responded to conventional treatment for more than six months. Nine of the patients had undergone surgery for their condition.
The researchers harvested bone marrow from the patients and isolated the stem cells from the bone marrow. The patients were then given injections of 40,000,000 stem cells in the knee that was affected by osteoarthritis. The researchers then evaluated the patients 8 days, 3, 6, and 12 months after receiving the injection.
The results of the study were extremely positive. No serious adverse events occurred during the course of the study. Patients did experience some pain and discomfort in the knee that received the injection. Patients were able to relieve their pain by taking over-to-counter Ibuprofen. The pain resolved itself in anywhere between one and six days.
One of the biggest improvements that the researchers noted was patient pain. Pain was significantly reduced three months after the stem cell injection. The patients continued to experience reduced pain over the course of the rest of the study. Patient knee pain Visual Analogue Scale-SP mean scores went from 79.8 to 15.5.
Patients experienced anywhere between a 65% to a 78% improvement in pain. Patients who participated in sports also saw improvements in the pain they experienced while playing sports. Eight patients experienced an average of 80% pain reduction while playing sports. All patients reported that they were satisfied with the pain relief from the treatment. 11 of the 12 patients reported lasting pain relief during the course of the study.
The researchers found that patients also experienced an improvement in their quality of life. However, the results were not statistically significant. The study also found smaller improvements in knee functionality. Stem cells may be able to repair the underlying conditions that result in osteoarthritis.
The study also showed that patients could experience an improvement in the cartilage in their affected knees. The researchers used the Poor Cartilage Index (PCI) to determine how patient cartilage changed from the treatment. A PCI of 100 is the worst possible value, while a PCI of 5 is considered healthy.
The mean of patient PCI was 19.5 at the start of the study. Six months after receiving the treatment, mean PCI decreased 15.4. The mean PCI further decreased to 14.3 12 months after patient injection. This outcome shows that the cartilage in the affected knees were healing from the treatment.
The study stated that they do not fully understand the mechanisms behind how stem cells are able to improve osteoarthritis. The researchers discussed that stem cells have a well-known immunomodulatory effect that may help reduce inflammation in the affected knees. This effect in turn can reduce pain.
The study concluded that bone marrow derived stem cells are a safe, alternative treatment for knee osteoarthritis that can lead to symptom improvement. The researchers believe that stem cells can be used to improve knee osteoarthritis patient outcomes. The study stressed that more research is needed before this treatment can become mainstream.
