Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40407910›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2025

Adipose- and bone marrow-derived stromal cells reduce pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis but do not substantially improve knee functionality: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Erik Hohmann, Natalie Keough, Daniel Stokes, Rachel Frank, Scott Rodeo

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
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  5. 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

5 authors.

Erik HohmannMedical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. ehohmann@hotmail.com.
Natalie KeoughUniversity of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Daniel StokesUniversity of Colorado Denver, Denver, US.
Rachel FrankUniversity of Colorado Denver, Denver, US.
Scott RodeoHospital for Special Surgery, New York, US.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and comparative studies comparing mesenchymal stromal cells other orthobiological injections for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

methodsSystematic review of Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar, including all level 1-3 from 2014 to 2024. Validated scores (VAS, KOOS, Lysholm, IKDC) were included as outcome measures. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tools. The GRADE system was used to assess the quality of the body of evidence and the modified Coleman Methodology score was used to assess study quality. Heterogeneity was assessed using χ

resultsTen studies were included; all published in English between 2019 and 2023, encompassing a total of 563 cases (281 treated with MSCs and 282 with other biologics). Two studies had a high risk of bias, one had some bias, and seven had a low risk of bias. Publication bias was detected (Egger's test 3.26447; p = 0.007). The pooled estimates revealed significant differences favoring MSCs for VAS scores at 3, 6, and 12 months. For KOOS pain and symptoms, significant differences were observed at 3 and 6 months.

conclusionThe results of this meta-analysis demonstrated a significant effect of adipose and bone marrow-derived stromal cell injections on pain reduction at all assessed time points, and showed superiority over other non-surgical treatment options. These differences were not reflected in clinical and functional outcomes, indicating that the observed reduction in pain did not correspond to substantial improvements in knee functionality.

Indexed as

ArthralgiaMesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationOsteoarthritis, KneeAdipose TissueHumansKnee JointPain MeasurementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAdipose derived stem cellsAdipose derived stromal cellsBone marrow derived stem cellsBone marrow derived stromal cellsKnee osteoarthritisOrthobiologics

Identifiers

PMID40407910
PMCPMC12102120

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Registered trials

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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.