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Human neural stem cell grafts to repair spinal cord injuries in monkeys
Findings represent major and essential step toward future human clinical trials
Date:February 26, 2018 Source:University of California - San Diego Summary:Neuroscientists and surgeons successfully grafted human neural progenitor cells into rhesus monkeys with spinal cord injuries. The grafts not only survived, but grew hundreds of thousands of human axons and synapses, resulting in improved forelimb function in the monkeys.
Led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, a diverse team of neuroscientists and surgeons successfully grafted human neural progenitor cells into rhesus monkeys with spinal cord injuries. The grafts not only survived, but grew hundreds of thousands of human axons and synapses, resulting in improved forelimb function in the monkeys.
The findings, published online in the February 26 issue of Nature Medicine, represent a significant step in translating similar, earlier work in rodents closer to human clinical trials and a potential remedy for paralyzing spinal cord injuries in people.
"For more than three decades, spinal cord injury research has slowly moved toward the elusive goal of abundant, long-distance regeneration of injured axons, which is fundamental to any real restoration of physical function," said Mark Tuszynski, MD, PhD, professor of neuroscience and director of the UC San Diego Translational Neuroscience Institute.
"While there was real progress in research using small animal models, there were also enormous uncertainties that we felt could only be addressed by progressing to models more like humans before we conduct trials with people," Tuszynski said.
"We discovered, for example, that the grafting methods used with rodents didn't work in larger, non-human primates. There were critical issues of scale, immunosuppression, timing and other features of methodology that had to be altered or invented. Had we attempted human transplantation without prior large animal testing, there would have been substantial risk of clinical trial failure, not because neural stem cells failed to reach their biological potential but because of things we did not know in terms of grafting and supporting the grafted cells."
Gregoire Courtine, PhD, a professor and investigator at the Center for Neuroprosthetics and at the Brain Mind Institute, both part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Geneva, also conducts research seeking to restore function after spinal cord injury. He underscored the importance of the new findings.
"Dr. Tuszynski and his collaborators overcame a number of methodological difficulties specific to primates to obtain this breakthrough," he said. "Direct translation of their work to humans would have failed, and yet too many studies are bypassing vital translational work in primate models that is necessary before human clinical trials."
Successfully growing and proliferating functional grafted stem cells in spinal cord injuries is hindered by a multitude of innate, biological challenges. For example, the region surrounding the injury site -- the so-called extracellular matrix -- inhibits growth in the same way that a superficial scar never resembles the original tissue in form or function. The injury site is abundant with inhibitory myelin proteins (used to make the insulating sheath around many nerve fibers) but lacks growth-promoting factors, such as neurotrophins, that would encourage regeneration of nerve cells' axons and synapses.
Previous work by Tuszynski and others have found solutions or work-arounds for many of these obstacles, reporting notable progress using rodent models. The new work involves the use of human spinal cord-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) -- stem cells destined to become nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS) -- in rhesus monkeys, whose biology and physiology is much more similar to humans. Because the NPCs were derived from an 8-week-old human embryonic spinal cord, they possessed active growth programs that supported robust axon extension and appeared to be insensitive to inhibitors present in the adult CNS.
Two weeks after the initial injury (a period intended to represent the time required for an injured person to medically stabilize undergoing neural stem cell therapy), researchers grafted 20 million NPCs into the injury lesions in the monkeys, supported by a cocktail of growth factors and immune suppression drugs.
The work was done at the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis. Most of the investigators are from UC campuses. "This highly complex translational project shows the value of collaborative research across UC campuses with unique facilities," said co-author Michael Beattie, PhD, professor and director of research at the Brain and Spinal Injury Center at UC San Francisco.
Over the next nine months, the grafts grew, expressing key neural markers and sending hundreds of thousands of axons -- the fibers through which nerve cells conduct signals to other nerve cells -- through the injury site to undamaged cells and tissue on the other side. Several months into the study, researchers noted that the monkeys began to display partial recovery of movement in their affected forelimbs.
Notably, the team documented regeneration of corticospinal axons, which are essential for voluntary movement in humans, into the lesion sites -- the first such known documentation in a primate model.
Courtine at EPFL, who was not involved in the study, said the findings challenge decades of work on the mechanisms of regeneration failure and "definitely represent a landmark in regeneration medicine." Nonetheless, he noted that the degree of functional improvement remained limited. "It is not surprising given that the functional integration of new cells and connections into the operation of the nervous system would require time and specific rehabilitation procedures," he said.
"It's possible that given a longer period of observation, greater recovery may have occurred," said the study's first author, Ephron S. Rosenzweig, PhD, an assistant adjunct professor in Tuszynski's lab. "Axon regeneration, synapse formation, myelination -- these all take time, and are critical for neural function. Grafts, and the new circuitry they were part of, were still maturing at the end of our observations, so it seems possible that recovery might have continued."
Tuszynski said work remains to be done before initiating human clinical trials, including production of a candidate neural stem cell line from humans that meets requirements of the Food and Drug Administration, and additional studies of safety. His group also continues to explore ways to further enhance the growth, distance and functionality of the regenerated cells.
"We seem to have overcome some major barriers, including the inhibitory nature of adult myelin against axon growth," he said. "Our work has taught us that stem cells will take a long time to mature after transplantation to an injury site, and that patience will be required when moving to humans. Still, the growth we observe from these cells is remarkable -- and unlike anything I thought possible even ten years ago. There is clearly significant potential here that we hope will benefit humans with spinal cord injury."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180226165200.htm
Stem cell therapy may help reverse effects of premature menopause, restore fertility
Date:March 18, 2018 Source:The Endocrine Society Summary:Young women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) may be able to use their own bone marrow stem cells to rejuvenate their ovaries and avoid the effects of premature menopause, new research suggests.
Young women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) may be able to use their own bone marrow stem cells to rejuvenate their ovaries and avoid the effects of premature menopause, new research suggests. The preliminary results from the ongoing ROSE clinical trial will be presented Tuesday at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Chicago, Ill.
"In the two participants who have completed the treatment to date, serum estrogen levels have increased as soon as 3 months after the injection of stem cells, and the effect has lasted for at least one year. Their menopausal symptoms have been alleviated, and six months after the injection of the stem cells into the ovaries, they have resumed menses," said senior author Ayman Al-Hendy, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Gynecology and Director of Translational Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The researchers plan to enroll 33 participants in their clinical trial. For the two patients who have undergone the procedure so far, they collected each woman's own mesenchymal stem cells from her posterior iliac crest bone marrow and used minimally invasive laparoscopy to inject the cells into one ovary, keeping the second, untreated, ovary as a control. The authors followed the patients closely with frequent blood work, imaging of the ovaries, menopausal symptom questionnaires, and safety studies.
Now that both women's estrogen levels have increased significantly and they have begun to menstruate, the research team looks forward to the possibility that they may again become fertile.
"Ultrasound imaging of treated ovaries shows significant size increase in the treated ovaries compared to the contralateral untreated ovaries. In the cases completed so far, the patients have tolerated the treatment very well with no complications or side effects," Al-Hendy said.
The ovaries produce hormones and eggs typically until menopause in the early fifties, when they stop working. About 1 percent of women have POI, and some are as young as in their teens, the authors wrote in their abstract.
With POI, the ovaries stop working and the women enter early menopause. They lose the ability to menstruate, ovulate and have children using their own eggs, and they may be at increased risk for menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweets, mood swings and vaginal dryness, and for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis-related fracture and earlier cognitive function decline, Al-Hendy said.
The authors are currently enrolling new participants with the goal of following more patients for a longer period.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180318144839.htm
Stem-cell study points to new approach to Alzheimer's disease
An experimental compound reduced production of toxic proteins implicated in brain-cell death in Alzheimer's disease
Date:March 1, 2018 Source:University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine Summary:Improving the trafficking of brain-cell proteins to reduce toxic buildup holds possibilities for new therapies against Alzheimer's disease.
Improving the trafficking of cellular proteins in brain cells holds possibilities for new treatments and even prevention for Alzheimer's disease, results of a new study suggest.
Researchers found that a compound that enhances the shuttling of proteins within cells reduced the production of forerunners of two proteins implicated in brain cell death.
Damage to, and destruction of, brain cells underlies this common form of dementia.
The disorder affects more than 5 million Americans. It causes loss of memory, thinking, way-finding and reasoning skills, and other debilitating problems. The disease tends to get worse with time. Aging is a major risk factor.
Brain tissue from people with Alzheimer's disease shows clumping of two types of proteins. One, amyloid beta, accumulates outside of brain cells; the other, called Tau protein, collects within the cells. Both of these toxic proteins are thought to cause the brain-cell death seen in Alzheimer's.
Recent research suggests that these proteins accumulate because of a defect in the system that ferries proteins within the cell. The proteins are shipped in membrane-bound packages, called endosomes.
The system that shuttles them around the cell is the endosomal network. For proteins to be properly processed, eliminated or recycled, this system must function correctly.
In the new study reported this week, the UW Medicine-led research team used human brain cells created from stem cells. The results showed that a compound that boosts the function of the endosomal network significantly cuts the production of both amyloid beta and a precursor of the Tau protein. The study will be published online March 1st in the journal Stem Cell Reports.
The lead author is Jessica Young, assistant professor of pathology at the UW School of Medicine in Seattle. She is a member of the UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.
She noted that the findings suggest that targeting defects in the endosomal network, through the discovery of drugs or other therapeutics, such as gene therapy, may be a promising strategy against Alzheimer's disease.
In the study, Young and her colleagues obtained skin cells from patients with Alzheimer's disease and from patients who had no signs of dementia. Because all of a person's cells share the same genome, the skin cells from patients with Alzheimer's would contain the same genetic mutations that affect the patients' brain cells.
The researchers then "reset" the skin cells by reprogramming them to act as stem cells. Such cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, are capable of developing into any cell type.
Young and her colleagues were thereby able to create neurons that had the same genetic makeup as patients from whom they had collected skin samples.
The lab-grown cells from the Alzheimer's patients would have the same tendency to generate the excess amount of amyloid beta and the Tau protein precursor that is seen in the brains cells of people with the disorder. This made it possible for the researchers to measure amyloid beta and Tau protein production in these stem cell-derived neurons.
The researchers wanted to see if enhancing the function of the endosomal network, in a laboratory setting, would affect amyloid beta and Tau protein in these human cells.
The scientists tested a compound that had been shown in animal studies to stabilize and boost the function of a protein assembly called the retromer.
The retromer is a key player in directing how the endosomal "packages" are shuttled about in the endosomal network to be delivered to the right destination.
"The network can be thought of as a kind of United Parcel Service with the retromer proteins serving as package labels," Young said.
The researchers found that the compound, called R33, did enhance the function of the retromer. This led to considerable reduction in the production of both the amyloid beta and the form of tau protein that readily aggregates, phosphorylated-Tau.
The researchers also used the cells to test the hypothesis that production of amyloid beta drives the production of phosphorylated-Tau.
The accumulation of the two proteins seems to be tightly linked. The scientists employed the gene editing tool CRISPR to create cells that did not make the necessary precursor of amyloid beta. Nevertheless, the R33 compound was still efficient at lowering phosphor-Tau. That result indicates that this pathway may work without the assistance of amyloid beta.
"The findings suggest that something upstream is affecting the production of amyloid beta and phosphorylated-Tau independently," Young said. "So one thing we're going to work on going forward will be using these cell lines to identify what this upstream defect might be and whether it, too, could be a target for new therapeutics to treat Alzheimer's."
Young noted that collaboration among scientists is what is moving the field of Alzheimer's disease research forward.
Among those collaborating with the UW Medicine team on this project were Lawrence S.B. Goldstein at the University of California, San Diego, in whose laboratory the initial studies were done and where the Alzheimer's patients' cells and the control skin cells and fibroblasts were generated; and Scott Small at Columbia University and Gregory Petsko at Weill Cornell Medical College, both of whom pioneered initial work on the R33 molecule.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180301144157.htm
On the immortality of stem cells
Date:March 7, 2018 Source:University of Cologne Summary:Stem cells are considered to be immortal in culture and, therefore, of great interest for aging research. This immortality is regulated by increased proteostasis, which controls the quality of proteins. A team of researchers found a link between increased proteostasis and immortality of human embryonic stem cells.
Stem cells are considered to be immortal in culture and, therefore, of great interest for aging research. This immortality is regulated by increased proteostasis, which controls the quality of proteins. A team of researchers led by David Vilchez of the Cluster of Excellence CECAD at the University of Cologne found a link between increased proteostasis and immortality of human embryonic stem cells
Human embryonic stem cells are considered to be immortal: they do not age, they can proliferate indefinitely, and form any tissue of the organism. As such, they do not accumulate damaged proteins like the ones related with diseases such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's. For this reason, they are especially interesting for aging research. One of the mechanisms underlying immortality is the 'garbage disposal system' known as the proteasome, a key node of the proteostasis network.
Of key relevance in the proteasome system are the so-called E3-ubiquitin ligases. These enzymes mark proteins for degradation to keep the cells in a healthy state. 'It's like putting a label on them and marking those which are not functioning', explains Isabel Saez Martinezfrom CECAD, the main author of the paper. 'We screened more than 600 proteins systematically and narrowed it down to 30 E3 ligases of special interest.' After finding those ligases, the levels of E3 ligases were silenced by using the genome editing method CRISPR and RNAi approaches. The authors were surprised not to find a phenotype, the stem cells acted normal. 'That might be due to the redundancy of the proteins', Isabel Saez Martinez adds. On the other hand, they found that a global reduction in the proteolytic activity affects many intrinsic characteristics of embryonic stem cells, providing a link between immortality and up-regulated protein degradation. In the next steps, the influence of those proteases on the aging process and their interaction partners should be examined.
Since accumulation of damaged proteins is linked to many neurodegenerative disorders, a better understanding of the processes of stem cell function and proteostasis could lead to better treatment of those illnesses. 'Even if we generate pluripotent stem cells of patients with those diseases, they do not have the toxic proteins. That gives us hope of treating those illnesses after further research', says David Vilchez.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180307101033.htm
Stem cells treat macular degeneration
Researchers helped develop a specially engineered retinal patch to treat people with sudden, severe sight loss
Date:March 19, 2018 Source:University of California - Santa Barbara Summary:Researchers have developed a specially engineered retinal patch to treat people with sudden, severe sight loss.
Macular degeneration accounts for almost 50 percent of all visual impairment in the developed world and usually affects people over 50 years of age. AMD affects the central (reading) vision while leaving the surrounding vision normal. Wet AMD is generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the region of the macula in the center of the retina and almost always begins as dry AMD. Researchers hope the new procedure will also help in the future to treat dry AMD.
The study investigated whether the diseased cells at the back of the patients' affected eye could be replenished using the stem cell patch. A specially engineered surgical tool was used to insert the patch under the retina in the affected eye of each patient in an operation lasting one to two hours.
In addition to Waters, a woman in her early 60s who also suffered from a severe form of wet AMD and declining vision underwent the procedure. She and Waters were monitored for 12 months and reported improvements to their vision. They went from not being able to read at all -- even with glasses -- to reading 60 to 80 words per minute with normal reading glasses.
"We hope this will lead to an affordable 'off-the-shelf' therapy that could be made available to NHS patients within the next five years," said Coffey, who founded the London Project to Cure Blindness more than a decade ago.
The study is a major milestone for the project, which is a partnership of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology and the National Institute for Health Research.
Macular degeneration accounts for almost 50 percent of all visual impairment in the developed world and usually affects people over 50 years of age. AMD affects the central (reading) vision while leaving the surrounding vision normal. Wet AMD is generally caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the region of the macula in the center of the retina and almost always begins as dry AMD. Researchers hope the new procedure will also help in the future to treat dry AMD.
The study investigated whether the diseased cells at the back of the patients' affected eye could be replenished using the stem cell patch. A specially engineered surgical tool was used to insert the patch under the retina in the affected eye of each patient in an operation lasting one to two hours.
In addition to Waters, a woman in her early 60s who also suffered from a severe form of wet AMD and declining vision underwent the procedure. She and Waters were monitored for 12 months and reported improvements to their vision. They went from not being able to read at all -- even with glasses -- to reading 60 to 80 words per minute with normal reading glasses.
"We hope this will lead to an affordable 'off-the-shelf' therapy that could be made available to NHS patients within the next five years," said Coffey, who founded the London Project to Cure Blindness more than a decade ago.
The study is a major milestone for the project, which is a partnership of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology and the National Institute for Health Research.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180319124218.htm
Stem cells have tremendous promise for future. They will change everything from routine maintenance, damaged or aged tissue, new cartilage, diabetes, Spinal cord injuries, the list goes on and on. Stems cells could greatly reduce surgical procedures. Great article..
Overall its been a great month for this stock. Still have 5 trading days and the Annual Report to go..
Down 2.68% @ .069.. Ready for the next leg. Company has 8 days to show its cards. (Annual Report)
Very little volume past 30 minutes
MM's seem content keeping it at this level to close out the week.
10K after the bell???
Lets see what happens today in the final 20 minutes
Order in 40% @ .24 LET IT RIDE.
I have the same concerns with all the manipulation going on. I'm up 140% on my investment and will be selling 50% shortly.. Flip some, hold some..
You don't need to hit home runs to win the game. Focus on getting base hits. Grow your portfolio one hit at a time..
The consolidation is the same pattern we had after the run-up on March 9 to .074.. This time we are a penny higher. Climbing the ladder one rung at a time..
VERT suddenly dropped from the Bid & Ask. Wonder what's up..!!
Late day surge. Last hour of trading should be interesting
@ .08 Volume 8.8 mil
They're walking down the ASK.. MM Trap.. Don't get caught.. They want your shares.. More Positive News Coming
Big jump in price and volume has alerted investors. .. Double digits...USRM
Stem Cell Therapy Combating The Opioid Epidemic
Since 1999, overdoses from prescription opioids have quadrupled. In 2015, opioids resulted in 33,000 deaths in 2015. Much of these deaths are due to addiction. Prescribed drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone or methadone are readily used to combat chronic pain, specifically back and neck pain.
Stem cells have the healing potential to relieve millions from not just their chronic pain, but their potential habit of opioids. By injecting bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into a vertebral disc, these cells can help rebuild the damaged tissue. Opioids simply mask the issue with relieving pain. Stem cells regeneration not only combats pain, but does so in that it is healing the ailment causing the pain.
Degenerative disc disease is a large component of chronic lower back pain. The discs between our vertebrae can dry out from aging and from continual wear and tear. The reduction in these “shock absorbers can result in nerve damage, inflammation, and bone on bone pain.
So how do you fight an epidemic? Collaboration, awareness, and research. Mainly from doctors, the government, and the community. Stem cell therapy has become an interesting division in the eyes of all these entities. Those that swear by it, those that oppose it, and those that are uncertain. Those that swear by it need to be transparent and appropriately educate patients that this is not always a surefire fix. There are many different scenarios such as age and to what extent the damage is. It’s important to address that stem cell therapy may not help particular individuals. For those that oppose it. Look at the outcomes of all that have benefited from the procedure. The MIR’s coming back showing a rebuilding of tissue and relief in pain. For those who are uncertain; talk to your medical physician, do research and consider the alternatives (surgery, drugs, therapy).
PRSC reviews each person as an individual. We do not claim to have the answer to all chronic pain. But with continued research and increase of technologies, we believe that stem cell therapy is a safe and effective way to fight chronic pain and there for the opioid epidemic.
https://prstemcell.com/news-blog/combatingopiods/
Hold your shares. Should be good action today.. USRM
US Stem Cell, Inc.
Shares of US Stem Cell, Inc. (OTCQB: USRM) spiked yesterday on record volume. This could be attributed to its announcement concerning the reduction in severity of psoriasis utilizing autologous stem cells. Shares have been a roller coaster for the past three months trading with almost 100% swings, building to its high of 8.1 cents yesterday. If history repeats, the shares could pull back to the mid 6’s before moving forward. It might be a good profit taking scenario
Volume 10.8 million. Back to .072
MM's set a trap. They're walking down the ASK.. Don't get caught
It will go straight up with volatility.. Game changer for you financially. IMO
VERT working the ASK. MM's back in control..
Break out imminent..
I believe USRM will be in the watchful eye of big Pharma. Big Pharma is about taking your company from its current position to riches while curing the planet along the way.
A stock's price isn't always indicative of value, and the difference between the two can lead to hefty profits.
Volume 7.1 milly
The high on Friday 3/9 was .074.. We hit .074 today and went straight down to .071, now it's break out time..
MM's having trouble controlling the action. USRM Strong bids coming in.
Another Game Changer.. Great news
MM Manipulation. Trying to get filled on the bid and sell on the ask.. They need your shares..
Stem Cell Reports..
http://www.cell.com/stem-cell-reports/home
Stem cell clinics pitch pricey, bogus 'cures' for knee pain
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News | March 7, 2018 at 1:03 PM
Researchers say that clinics offering stem cell-based treatments for knee pain and arthritis are expensive, and likely not effective. Photo by whitesession/Pixabay
WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2018 -- Stem cell clinics are charging big money for knee arthritis "cures" and making extravagant claims about their therapies, a new study contends.
A same-day injection for one knee costs thousands of dollars at these centers, according to a consumer survey taken of clinics across the United States.
People are paying that kind of cash because two-thirds of stem cell clinics promise that their treatments work 80 to 100 percent of the time, researchers report.
But there's no medical evidence suggesting that any stem cell therapy can provide a lasting cure for knee arthritis, said study lead researcher Dr. George Muschler, an orthopedic surgeon with the Cleveland Clinic.
"There are claims made about efficacy [effectiveness] that aren't supported by the literature," Muschler said. "There's a risk of charlatanism, and patients should be aware."
Stem cells have gained a reputation as a miracle treatment and potential cure for many ailments. The cells have the potential to provide replacement cells for any part of the body -- blood, brain, bones or organs.
As a result, a wave of stem cell centers have opened up around the country, offering cures for a variety of diseases, Muschler said.
"It's very sexy to market yourself as a stem cell center, so there's been a boom of centers, probably close to 600 now in the United States offering this therapy," Muschler said. "But the truth is that the medical literature hasn't quite caught up to the enthusiasm in the marketplace."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expressed extreme skepticism over these centers, and in November the agency announced that it would crack down on clinics offering dangerous stem cell treatments.
The "pie-in-the-sky" dream for knee arthritis patients is that a stem cell injection will produce fresh new protective cartilage in their joint, said Dr. Scott Rodeo, an orthopedic surgeon with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
"The reality is they don't do that. There is zero data to suggest that," said Rodeo, who wasn't involved with the study. "The idea these cells are going to regenerate cartilage -- there's zero data."
At best, these injections might temporarily reduce pain and inflammation by prompting the release of soothing chemicals in the knee, Rodeo and Muschler said.
To get an idea what stem cell centers are promising customers, Muschler and his colleagues called 273 U.S. clinics posing as a 57-year-old man with knee arthritis.
The clinics were asked about same-day stem cell injections, how well they work and how much they cost.
Of the 65 centers that provided pricing information, the average cost for a knee injection was $5,156, with prices ranging from $1,150 to $12,000, the researchers found. Fourteen centers charged less than $3,000 for a single injection, while 10 centers charged more than $8,000.
The 36 centers that provided information on effectiveness claimed an average effectiveness of 82 percent, the researchers said. Of them, 10 claimed that the injection worked 9 out of 10 times, and another 15 claimed 80 to 90 percent effectiveness.
The findings were presented Tuesday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' annual meeting, in New Orleans. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
"Patients are being told there's an 80 percent likelihood of improvement, which is only 10 to 20 percent better than you'd expect from a placebo effect," Muschler said.
In fact, he suspects that the placebo effect is responsible for much of the improvement patients feel following a knee injection.
"People always show up to the doctor when they hurt," Muschler said. "If I see a patient who has arthritis in their knee and I do nothing, there's a very good chance they're going to get better over the coming months, anyway. There's this natural cycle of increasing and decreasing pain that's present in the life of someone who has arthritis."
That's compounded by the fact that people expect to feel better after shelling out a load of cash, Muschler added.
These centers generally provide three different types of treatment, only one of which actually has live stem cells involved, Muschler said.
One treatment injects the knee with platelet-rich plasma drawn from the patient's own blood, while another uses a slurry produced from fetal tissue and fluid gathered after birth. Neither of these contains stem cells, but they are marketed as stem cell therapies, Muschler said.
A third option involves bone marrow taken from the patient and injected into the knee. This does contain a mixture of three types of stem cells, but "the evidence that you're doing [your knees] a favor is still pretty weak in the literature," Muschler said.
People aren't likely to be harmed by these injections, Rodeo said, but there's not a lot of evidence that they'll be helped. "Patients should go into it eyes wide open," Rodeo said. "They're paying a lot of money out of pocket, because these are not covered by insurers."
Knee arthritis sufferers would be better off trying many of the established options for reducing knee pain, Muschler and Rodeo said.
Losing weight is a "key factor," Muschler said.
"There's very good evidence that if you are at a 5 on the pain scale and you lose 10 percent of your body weight, your pain will drop 2 points," Muschler said.
Patients also can use NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling, get a steroid injection, or perform weight training to strengthen the muscles that support the knee, Muschler and Rodeo said.
More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about stem cell therapies.
Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2018/03/07/Stem-cell-clinics-pitch-pricey-bogus-cures-for-knee-pain/9201520440802/
Volume and price should start to move higher..