SynthesisPeerJ2026
Comparative efficacy of different doses of mesenchymal stem cells derived from different tissue sources for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in PeerJ, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Intra-Articular Adipose-Derived, Bone Marrow-Derived, and Peripheral Blood-Derived Stem Cell Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 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
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) remains a leading cause of disability, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show potential for KOA treatment. However, existing studies demonstrate conflicting results on the optimal dose and tissue source of MSCs for KOA treatment. This gap limits evidence-based treatment decisions. Materials & Methods: A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MSCs at different doses and from tissue sources in treating KOA. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched up to November 12, 2025. MSC doses were categorized into low ((0 < 20) ×10 Results: A total of 11 RCTs were included. Except for moderate-dose bone-derived MSCs (M_BMSCS), all treatment groups significantly improved VAS scores at 3, 6, and 12 months. High-dose adipose-derived MSCs (H_ADSCS) showed superior efficacy at 3 months, while moderate-dose adipose-derived MSCs (M_ADSCS) was most effective at 6 and 12 months. For WOMAC scores, significant improvements were seen at 12 months for high-dose, moderate-dose, and low-dose adipose-derived MSCs (ADSCS), as well as low-dose bone-derived MSCs (L_BMSCS), with M_ADSCS showing the greatest benefit. Low-dose ADSCS (L_ADSCS) had a significantly low risk of AEs. Discussion: Eleven RCTs involving 602 participants were analyzed. M_ADSCS showed the greatest long-term improvements in pain (VAS) and joint function (WOMAC), with balanced efficacy and safety. High-dose ADSCS provided superior short-term analgesia but induced more adverse events, likely due to cell overcrowding and microenvironmental stress. Molecular evidence suggests that ADSCS exert stronger anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects than MSCs from other sources. Variability in dose-response relationships indicates that better MSC dosing may depend on disease severity and patient factors, such as BMI and comorbidities. Further large-scale, standardized RCTs are needed to refine dosing strategies and optimize MSC therapy for KOA. Conclusions: This NMA identifies M_ADSCS as the most effective MSC treatment for KOA, with balanced efficacy and safety profiles. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing MSC therapy and highlight the need for further research on dosing and tissue sources.
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