Stem-cell Therapy in Human Osteoarthritis: A Debate

Osteoarthritis (OA) is believed to be the most common joint disease worldwide with an estimated prevalence of knee and hip OA as 3.8% and 0.8%, respectively . The etiology of the disorders lies in the intrinsic joint and extrinsic environmental dynamics such as raised inflammatory cytokines, age, gender, genetics, weight, and injury (1). Treatment of OA mostly consists of conservative therapies that minimally modify the underlying deformities. In the severe cases of OA, total joint replacement has been suggested by OA Research Society International . Current investigations recommended less invasive procedures, such as intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, and anabolic cartilaginous bioreactors.