Clinical outcome of autologous bone marrow aspirates concentrate (BMAC) injection in degenerative arthritis of the knee
The Regenerative Clinic's view on this research
Mr Ali Noorani “This paper looked at 79 knees and the effect of bone marrow aspirates concentrate. The average age of the patients was 60 years old and the arthritis (Kellgren/Lawrence grade) vary from grade 1 with 12 knees, grade 2/3 with 57 knees and grade 4 with 6 knees. Visual and lock scale (VAS) was used along with other scoring systems including International Knee Documentation Committee score (IKDC). Overall, there was a 50% reduction in pain in one year among the patients and there was an increase in the function outcome scores of IKDC from an average of 38 to 66. BMAC injections in this study significantly improved both knee pain and function in patients with degenerative arthritis of the knee. It appeared the injection would be more effective in early to moderate phases of the disease although all grades had significant benefit.”
Abstract
Purpose: As a treatment method of degenerative arthritis of knee, this study evaluated the clinical efficacy of the intra-articular injection of autologous bone marrow aspirates concentrate (BMAC) with adipose tissue.
Materials and methods: Between April 2011 and May 2012, 41 patients (75 knees) who were diagnosed as a degenerative knee arthritis and underwent the BMAC injection with adipose tissue were included in this study. Mean age was 60.7 years old (ranged 53–80). Kellgren–Lawrence grade was used for assessing radiologic degree of osteoarthritis; there were each 12, 24, 33, and 6 cases of grade I, II, III, and IV. At preoperative and postoperative 3, 6, and 12 months, pain score using visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional scales were used for evaluation.
Results: After the procedure, mean VAS score was decreased from 7.0 pre-operatively to 4.1, 3.5, and 3.3 post-operatively 3, 6, and 12 months. And functional scores were also improved; International Knee Documentation Committee score (from 37.7 pre-operatively to 59.3, 66.3, 69.3 post-operatively), SF-36 health score (from 31.5 to 43.5, 45.6, 47.7), knee and osteoarthritis outcome score (from 43.1 to 64.9, 68.5, 70.6), Lysholm Knee Questionnaire (from 37.3 to 65.4, 68.6, 71.0) were all increased after the procedure. When classified according to K–L grade, the improvement of VAS score in grade IV group was 8.2 pre-operatively to 5.5, 5.3, and 5.7 post-operatively, which was significantly poorer than those of grade I–III groups. In the knee functional scales, similar pattern was checked.
Conclusions: BMAC injection significantly improved both knee pain and functions in the patients with degenerative arthritis of knee. Also, the injection would be more effective in early to moderate phases.