Can a jab of stem cells ease your achy knees?

AJAB of frozen tissue from placenta could be a new way to tackle arthritis in the knee. A one-off injection of placenta and amniotic fluid donated from women after childbirth is being given to patients to see if the cells can repair or reverse damage caused by the condition.

More than a million people a year consult their GP about osteoarthritis, which is characterised by damage in and around a joint. As a result of wear and tear, the cartilage, the strong, smooth surface that lines bones and allows joints to move easily, is worn away.

In response to the pain and inflammation, the body also produces bony growths, or spurs, to protect itself.

The problem is that the joint cartilage is poorly supplied by blood vessels and nerves, and cannot repair itself.

Painkillers, physiotherapy and steroids are among treatments available, but some people will eventually need parti a l or t ot a l knee replacements.

Each year, more than 40,000 knee replacements are carried out in Britain.

The new treatment uses stem cells from the amniotic membrane and fluid derived from the inner layer of the placenta, which surrounds a baby in pregnancy. Animal studies have suggested it can be highly effective in boosting healing and encouraging cartilage to regenerate.

Researchers at Texas University found in a trial with 55 patients that one stem cell injection after surgery provided pain relief and helped regrowth of damaged tissue better than those not given the treatment, says the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

Now 1 50 people with moderate knee osteoarthritis are taking part in a trial at New York University and other centres, where the jab is being compared with a placebo.

Stem cells in the foetus have the potential to develop into any type of cells, while adult stem cells are restricted to particular tissues and organs.

Some stem cell research is controversial because it can involve early human embryos. But cells from the amniotic membrane and fluid can be easily collected from tissue usually discarded after birth.

In the new trial, patients with osteoarthritis will be given either injections of amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid stem cells, placebo cells or hyaluronic acid, which is designed to replace hyaluronan, a thick liquid that naturally helps to lubricate joints and is already used to treat arthritis.

The patients will then be monitored for a year.

Commenting on the new study, Jane Tadman, from the charity Arthritis Research UK, said: ‘Stem cell treatment for knee osteoarthritis has huge potential, although it’s at an early experimental stage.’