Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37128999›Full record

SynthesisTherapeutic advances in respiratory disease

Systematic review and meta-analysis of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells as strategical means for the treatment of COVID-19.

Hannah Taufiq, Kamal Shaik Fakiruddin, Umaiya Muzaffar, Moon Nian Lim, Syahnaz Rusli, Nor Rizan Kamaluddin, Ezalia Esa, Syahril Abdullah

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.7field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Stem cell therapies in the clinic.Bioengineering & translational medicine · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Hannah TaufiqDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Kamal Shaik FakiruddinHaematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Umaiya MuzaffarUPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID 0000-0002-6785-3388
Moon Nian LimHaematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Syahnaz RusliDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Nor Rizan KamaluddinHaematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Ezalia EsaHaematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Syahril AbdullahDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.
Ministry of Health · MYUniversiti Putra Malaysia · MY

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines from over stimulation of immune cells have become a concern due to the potential outburst of cytokine storm that damages the tissues and organs, especially the lungs. This leads to the manifestation of COVID-19 symptoms, such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ failure, and eventually death. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are currently one of hopeful approaches in treating COVID-19 considering its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions. On that account, the number of clinical trials concerning the use of MSCs for COVID-19 has been increasing. However, the number of systematic reviews and meta-analysis that specifically discuss its potential as treatment for the disease is still lacking. Therefore, this review will assess the safety and efficacy of MSC administration in COVID-19 patients.

objectivesTo pool evidence on the safety and efficacy of MSCs in treating COVID-19 by observing MSC-related adverse effects as well as evaluating its effects in reducing inflammatory response and improving pulmonary function. DATA SOURCES AND

methodsFollowing literature search across six databases and one trial register, full-text retrieval, and screening against eligibility criteria, only eight studies were included for data extraction. All eight studies evaluated the use of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (UC-MSC), infused intravenously. Of these eight studies, six studies were included in meta-analysis on the incidence of mortality, adverse events (AEs), and serious adverse events (SAEs), and the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6. Meta-analysis on pulmonary function was not performed due to insufficient data.

resultsMSC-treated group showed significantly lower risk of mortality than the control group (

conclusionMSCs were safe for use, with lower risk of mortality and no association with AEs. Regarding efficacy, descriptive analysis showed indications of improvement on the inflammatory reaction, lung clearance, and oxygenation status despite the lack of statistical significance in meta-analysis of CRP and IL-6. Nevertheless, more studies are needed for affirmation. REGISTRATION: This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on the PROSPERO database (no. CRD42022307730).

Indexed as

COVID-19Mesenchymal Stem CellsMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationCytokinesHumansInterleukin-6SARS-CoV-2CytokinesInterleukin-6COVID-19mesenchymal stromal/stem cellsSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID37128999
PMCPMC10140776
OpenAlexW4367338192

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.