Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37669102›Full record

ReviewBiomolecules & biomedicine2024

Stem cell therapy for degenerative disc disease: Bridging the gap between preclinical promise and clinical potential.

Matic Munda, Tomaz Velnar

Open access · diamondAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Biomolecules & biomedicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
6.1field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  13. ISSLS Prize in Clinical Science 2025: Cartilage End Plate Defects Precede and Initiate Bony End Plate Defects and Disc Degeneration- An 'Integrated Total End Plate Score' Identify Preclinical Discs at Risk for Degeneration.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025
    Article
  14. Observational
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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

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Matic MundaDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tomaz VelnarDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; AMEU-AMC, Maribor, Slovenia.
Ljubljana University Medical Centre · SI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Stem cell therapy has gained attention in the field of regenerative medicine due to its potential to restore damaged tissue. This article focuses on the application of stem cell therapy for treating spinal pathologies, particularly intervertebral disc degeneration. Disc degeneration is a major cause of low back pain and is characterized by changes in the matrix and inflammation. Animal studies have demonstrated that the implantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) yields promising results, including increased disc height, improved hydration, and reduced inflammation. However, the number of clinical trials remains limited, necessitating further research to optimize MSCs therapy. Although preclinical studies offer valuable insights, caution is needed when extrapolating these findings to clinical practice. Stem cell therapy still faces multiple challenges, such as the durability and survival of MSCs upon implantation, uncertain pathways to discogenic differentiation, and the adverse impact of a harsh microenvironment on cell survival. The avascular nature of the intervertebral disc and dynamic loading conditions also affect the adaptation of transplanted cells. Despite these obstacles, stem cell therapy holds promise as a potential treatment for disc degeneration, and ongoing research aims to fill the current gap in conclusive data.

Indexed as

Intervertebral DiscIntervertebral Disc DegenerationLow Back PainMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationAnimalsInflammation

Identifiers

PMID37669102
PMCPMC10950333
OpenAlexW4386415251

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.