SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2025
Efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells for knee osteoarthritis: a dose-focused meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Intra-articular adipose-derived cell therapies for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Mesenchymal stromal cells immunosuppress osteoarthritis synovial fluid modulated monocytes via IL-6 and CCL2.Cell death & disease · 2026Article
- Mesenchymal stromal cells therapy for remodeling the joint microenvironment: mechanisms, nanotechnology-enhanced strategies, and translation prospects.Stem cell research & therapy · 2026Review
- Needle gauge and length effects on human stem cell viability during injection: a comprehensive review.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Review
- Artificial intelligence and big data for precision regenerative medicine in knee osteoarthritis: endotyping, responder prediction, and clinical translation.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Review
- Nanotherapeutic Strategies for Osteoarthritis: Targeting Aging, Metabolism and Inflammation.International journal of nanomedicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIntra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has emerged as a promising therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, uncertainty remains regarding the optimal cell dose for maximizing clinical benefit. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of MSC injections for knee OA and investigate the relationship between cell dose and treatment outcome.
methodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2015 and 2025. Eligible studies were RCTs that used intra-articular MSC injections for knee OA, and WOMAC scores were reported at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed to evaluate the effect of MSC dose on treatment outcomes.
resultsEight treatment arms from six RCTs involving 300 patients were included. The pooled SMD in the WOMAC score at 12 months was -1.35 (95% CI: -1.97 to -0.74), indicating a moderate to large treatment effect. MSC doses of ≤ 25 million cells were associated with statistically significant improvement, while higher doses did not demonstrate additional benefit. Meta-regression confirmed no significant dose-response relationship. Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 = 49.8%).
conclusionIntra-articular MSC therapy significantly improves clinical outcomes in knee OA at 12 months, with lower doses (≤ 25 million cells) appearing to be both effective and potentially more efficient. These findings support dose optimization as a critical consideration in advancing MSC therapy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.