Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, occurs when the cartilage between the joints breaks down, leading to stiffness, swelling and pain. Although current treatment options can help manage the pain, there is no cure and over time the symptoms continue to worsen. Stem cells, produced by the body, are natural anti-inflammatories which can help improve the pain and swelling caused by osteoarthritis.
The Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica believes in the potential of stem cell therapy and we want to help you stay informed about recent advances in stem cell research. The preliminary results of two phase 1/II clinical trials, evaluating the safety and efficacy of stem cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis, were presented at the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) annual meeting in May, 2017.
Physicians from the Universidad los Andes in Santiago de Chile, Chile evaluated umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells delivered by intra-articular injection in 27 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. There were 9 patients in the placebo arm and 18 patients in two active treatment arms. The placebo arm received one injection of hyaluronic acid at baseline, treatment arm one received a stem cell injection at baseline and treatment arm two received a stem cell injection at baseline and at six months. Follow up at 6 months showed stem cell therapy to be significantly better than the control arm with patients in both treatment arms experiencing reduced pain and improved joint function. A final evaluation will be made at 12 months to compare the results of treatment arm one versus treatment arm two and results will be shared at the next annual ISCT meeting.1 Government approved stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis is available at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute.
In the United States and Canada, stem cell therapy is not yet government approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis but clinical trials are evaluating the safety and efficacy. Preliminary results, from the first phase I/II trial in North America evaluating the safety and efficacy of stem cell treatment in patients with late stage osteoarthritis of the knee, were also presented at the annual ISCT meeting in May. Twelve patients, with late stage osteoarthritis of the knee, have been enrolled in a non-randomized, open-label, dose escalation study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells injected into the knee. Researchers have found bone marrow derived stem cells to be safe at all doses. Preliminary results also showed patients in all groups experienced a reduction in pain and an improvement in quality of life measurements. Final results will be evaluated in December 2017.2 Schedule an appointment today at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute to discuss government approved stem cell therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
The Stem Cells Transplant Institute uses adult autologous mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue to treat to treat osteoarthritis. Mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to regulate the immune system response, inhibit inflammation, stimulate blood vessel growth, repair tissue, and stimulate self-regeneration of the cartilage. Stem cell therapy can improve the pain, swelling and stiffness associated to osteoarthritis. Stem cell therapy at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute is designed to target the damaged areas within the joints. The treatment is a safe, non-invasive, same-day procedure that takes only a few hours. Many patients take the opportunity to make their trip an extended vacation and enjoy the beauty and rich culture of Costa Rica. Contact the experts at the Stem Cells Transplant Institute today to see if stem cell therapy is right for you.
References:
1. Espinoza, F. et al., Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis (OA): A phase I/II randomized controlled trial. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcyt.2017.02.043
2. Read, J., et al., Human autologous mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of mid-to late- stage knee osteoarthritis-preliminary results from a first-in-North America phase I/II study. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcyt.2017.02.042
