Table 1. Features of the included studies.
BMI = body mass index, KL = Kellgren-Lawrence, RCT = randomized control trial, MSCs = mesenchymal stem cells, NS = normal saline, CD = cluster of differentiation, KOOS = knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score, MOAKS = MRI osteoarthritis knee Score, AD-MPCs = adipose tissue mesenchymal progenitor cells, WOMAC = Western Ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis index, VAS = visual analogue scale, WORMS = whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging score, MRI = magnetic resonance imaging, HA = hyaluronic acid, AD- MSCs = adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells, NPRS = numeric pain rating scale, BMAC = bone marrow aspiration concentration, MFAT = microfragmented adipose tissue
| Study (year) | Sample (M:F) | Age | BMI | Kl Grade | Type of Study | Intervention | Control | Donor | Immunophenotype | Dose (cell) (×106) | Outcome Measures | Follow up |
| Liu (2021 [7] | 440 (Not mentioned) | 40-90 | Not mentioned | 2-3 | Double-Blinded RCT | multipotent MSCs 220 | NS, 220 | Allogeneic | CD34 | 2.5×10 | KOOS, MOAKS, others | 24 months |
| Lu (2020)[18] | 22 (3:19) | 18-70 | 27.77 (±1.93), 26.69 (±2.63), 24.51 (± 2.49) | 2-3 | Double-Blinded RCT | AD-MPCs 22 | Not Controlled | Autologous | Positive marker (CD90, CD73, CD105) Negative (HLA-DR, CD14, CD45) | 1 × 10, 2 × 10, 5 × 10 | WOMAC, VAS, WORMS, MRI, others | 48 weeks |
| Lu (2019)[17] | 52 (6:46) | 18–70 | 24 | 1-3 | Double-Blinded RCT | AD-MPCs 26 | HA, 26 | Autologous | Positive: CD90,CD73, CD29, CD49 Negative: CD14,CD34,CD45, HLA-DR | 50 × 2 | WOMAC, VAS, MRI, others | 12 Months |
| Lee (2019)[39] | 24 (6:18) | 18-75 | 25.3 (± 4.9), 25.4 (± 3.0) | 2-4 | Double-Blinded RCT | AD-MSCs 12 | Placebo, 12 | Autologous | Positive: CD90,CD73 Negative: CD31, CD34, CD45 | 100 | KOOS, WOMAC, VAS, MRI, others | 6 months |
| Freitag (2019) [35] | 30 (16:14) | > 18 | 25.2 (±3.4), 31.6 (±5.9), 30.4 (±5.6) | 2-3 | Non-Blinded RCT | AD-MSCs 20 | Conservative Management, 10 | Autologous | Positive: CD90,CD73, CD105 Negative: CD14,CD19, CD34, CD45 | 100, 100 × 2 | KOOS, NPRS, WOMAC, others | 12 months |
| Kuah (2018) [2] | 20 (12:8) | 40–65 | 20-30 | 1-3 | Double-Blinded RCT | AD-MSCs 16 | Placebo, 4 | Allogeneic | Not mentioned | 3.9, 6.7 | VAS, WOMAC, MOAKS, MRI, others | 12 months |
| Al-Najar (2017) [32] | 13 (6:7) | 34–63 | Not mentioned | 2-3 | Prospective Clinical Trial | BM-MSCs 13 | Not Controlled | Autologous | Positive: CD90, CD105, CD73, CD44 Negative: CD34, CD45, CD11b, CD19, HLA-DR | 30.8, 30.4 | KOOS, MRI, others | 24 months |
| Chahal (2019) [23] | 12 (7:5) | 40-65 | Not mentioned | 3-4 | Prospective Clinical Trial | BM-MSCs 12 | Not Controlled | Autologous | Positive: CD90, CD105, CD73 Negative: CD45, CD34, CD19, CD14, HLA-DR | 1, 10, 50 | KOOS, WOMAC, WORMS, others | 24 months |
| Wells (2021) [16] | 10 (4:6) | 18–79 | Not mentioned | 1-2 | Prospective Clinical Trial | BMA-MSCs 11 | Not Controlled | Autologous | Positive: CD90, CD73, and CD105 Negative: CD19, CD34, CD45, CD11b, and HLA-DR | 9.9±1.2 / ml (without × 106) | KOOS, NRSP, others | 12 months |
| Mautner (2019) [33] | 76 (36:40) | 52-74 | Not mentioned | 1-4 | Retrospective Clinical Trial | BMAC 41, MFAT 35 | Not Controlled | Autologous | Not mentioned | BMAC 8 cc, MFAT 30 cc (without × 106) | KOOS, VAS, MRI, others | 6 months |