Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33614784›Full record

SynthesisBioMed research international2021

Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A New Choice for Nonsurgical Treatment of OA? Results from a Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

Ziqin Cao, Yajia Li, Fuqiang Gao, Ren Wu, Pengcheng Dou, Wanchun Wang, Qiangxiang Li

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BioMed research international, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 28% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Machine Learning in Stem Cell Research: From Biological Data to Clinical Translation.Computational and structural biotechnology journal · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
  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

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Ziqin CaoDepartment of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2465-5701
Yajia LiDepartment of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4710-087X
Fuqiang GaoDepartment of Orthopedics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, China-Japan Friendship Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Ren WuDepartment of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4128-2257
Pengcheng DouDepartment of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3719-4040
Wanchun WangDepartment of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0610-4180
Qiangxiang LiNingxia Geriatric Disease Clinical Research Center, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 750001, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4816-4613
Central South University · CNChinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveOsteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease, causing joint pain, stiffness, and even disability. Guidelines recommend intra-articular injections as an alternative treatment to relieve OA symptoms for patients who demonstrate poor tolerability or compliance to oral administration of drugs. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a potential treatment for of OA. We conducted this network meta-analysis to comprehensively compare the efficacy and safety between hyaluronic acid (HA), corticosteroids (GCs), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and MSCs.

designSystematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

methodsBayesian network and conventional meta-analyses were conducted. Pain relief, functional improvement, improvement in joint stiffness, and risk of adverse effects (AEs) were assessed.

resultsTwenty-five articles with 4642 patients were included. Overall, MSC therapy was the most effective treatment for pain relief (standardized mean difference compared with placebo = 3.61, 95% CI [1.87 to 5.35]). Both MSC and PRP therapies improved every symptom of OA effectively and have an advantage over HA and GCs which are recommended by guidelines. MSCs, PRP, HA, and GCs are tolerated well for patients in long-term treatment of OA compared with placebo.

conclusionsThe results show that MSCs relieve pain, stiffness, and dysfunction due to OA better than PRP, HA, and GCs and are not statistically correlated with greater safety concerns. More high-quality trials are needed to reconfirm the findings of this study, however, standardization of preparation of MSCs and PRP should be investigated in the future.

Indexed as

Mesenchymal Stem Cell TransplantationAdrenal Cortex HormonesAgedArthralgiaBayes TheoremFemaleHumansHyaluronic AcidMaleMiddle AgedOsteoarthritisPlatelet-Rich PlasmaTreatment OutcomeAdrenal Cortex HormonesHyaluronic Acid

Identifiers

PMID33614784
PMCPMC7876826
OpenAlexW3127876650

What Socratic 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 Socratic graph.