Stem cell-based therapy for COVID-19 and ARDS: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Current treatments for COVID-19 and ARDS are primarily supportive, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapies.
• Cell-based therapies, particularly stem cells, have emerged as a potential treatment avenue for severe respiratory illnesses.
• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being investigated for their immunomodulatory and regenerative properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review clinical studies on stem cell therapy for COVID-19 and ARDS.
• To evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of different stem cell types in treating these conditions.
• To identify promising cell types and therapeutic strategies for severe COVID-19 and ARDS.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases.
• Inclusion of 29 clinical studies, encompassing case reports, clinical trials (Phase I, II), pilot studies, cohort studies, and case series.
• Analysis focused on studies utilizing stem cell therapy for COVID-19 and ARDS, with a specific emphasis on Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Main Results:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were the most frequently used cell type (75%) in studies treating COVID-19 and ARDS.
• Findings suggest a positive impact of stem cell therapy on immunological and inflammatory processes contributing to lung injury.
• No deaths were causally linked to cell therapy across the analyzed studies, indicating a favorable safety profile.

Conclusions:

• Stem cell therapy, particularly with MSCs, demonstrates potential as an adjuvant treatment for moderate-to-severe COVID-19 and ARDS.
• MSCs may help mitigate lung injury by modulating key inflammatory and immune pathways.
• Further investigation into MSCs as an adjunct therapy is warranted for improving patient outcomes in severe COVID-19 and ARDS.