Efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells for knee osteoarthritis .
Efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells for knee osteoarthritis: a dose-focused meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 01-Aug:. 10.1186/s13018-025-06190-4Six randomized controlled trials with eight mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment arms and 300 patients with knee osteoarthritis were reviewed. Trials compared a single intra-articular MSC injection (derived from adipose tissue, bone marrow, or umbilical cord; allogeneic) with saline, hyaluronic acid, or placebo, with uniform reporting of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores at baseline and 12 months. The primary outcome was change in WOMAC total score at 12 months, pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression evaluated dose effects, dichotomized at ≤25 million vs >25 million cells. Overall, the analysis demonstrated a moderate-to-large improvement in WOMAC scores favoring MSC therapy. Importantly, doses ≤25 million cells were associated with statistically significant benefit, while higher doses did not confer additional improvement. These findings suggest that lower, dose-efficient MSC regimens achieve meaningful clinical benefit at one year.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics