Table III.
Analysis of the effect sizes of MSC treatment stratified by the indicated subgroups.
| Subgroup | Pooled effect size at month 3 | Pooled effect size at month 6 | Pooled effect size at month 12 | Pooled effect size at month 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study design | ||||
| Single-arm follow-up study | 0.48 (0.18–0.77) | 1.48 (0.51–2.44) | 2.66 (1.69–3.62) | 2.87 (1.99–3.75) |
| Quasi-experimental study | 0.75 (0.17–1.32) | 1.37 (0.59–2.14) | 2.53 (1.96–3.10) | 2.53 (2.18–2.89) |
| Randomized controlled trial | 1.87 (1.19–2.54) | 1.09 (−0.35–2.53) | 0.14 (0.49–0.20) | 0.12 (0.24–0.48) |
| MSCs doses administered | ||||
| <5×106 | 0.34 (−0.08–0.75) | 0.70 (0.46–0.93) | 1.60 (0.73–2.46) | 2.25 (1.54–2.97) |
| 5×106-5×107 | 0.89 (0.36–1.42) | 1.39 (0.80–1.99) | 1.60 (0.55–2.65) | −0.07 (−0.75–0.60) |
| >1×107 | 0.67 (0.09–1.26) | 1.91 (0.58–3.23) | −0.01 (−0.67–0.64) | 0.12 (−0.53–0.78) |
| Arthroscopic debridement | ||||
| Yes | 0.37 (0.01–0.74) | 0.45 (−0.16–1.06) | 2.20 (1.30–3.09) | 2.32 (1.61–3.03) |
| No | 1.02 (0.58–1.47) | 1.48 (0.80–2.16) | 1.41 (0.83–2.00) | 1.56 (0.62–2.49) |
| Activation agent | ||||
| Yes | 0.37 (0.01–0.74) | 1.40 (0.26–2.54) | 3.13 (1.55–4.71) | 2.82 (2.07–3.56) |
| No | 1.02 (0.58–1.47) | 1.29 (0.53–2.05) | 0.67 (0.01–1.34) | 0.84 (0.16–1.52) |
| Severity of degeneration | ||||
| Early OA | 1.55 (0.66–2.45) | 4.10 (3.16–5.04) | 2.53 (1.96–3.10) | 2.53 (2.18–2.89) |
| Advanced OA | 0.78 (0.34–1.22) | 2.40 (1.34–3.46) | 1.99 (0.70–3.28) | 2.54 (1.64–3.44) |
Values are expressed by their point estimates with a 95% CI. 95% CI covered a zero value, which indicated an uncertainty of treatment effectiveness compared with the pretreatment baseline. MSC, mesenchymal stem cell; OA, osteoarthritis; CI, confidence interval.