Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Medicine
• Immunology

Background:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are explored for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment.
• Evidence on MSC therapy's effectiveness and safety in MS is currently inconclusive.
• A systematic review and meta-analysis is needed to consolidate existing data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness and safety of MSC therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS).
• To assess the impact of MSC therapy on patient outcomes, including disability status.
• To identify and quantify adverse events associated with MSC therapy in MS patients.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar).
• The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was used to evaluate MSC therapy efficacy.
• A random-effects model was employed to calculate pooled prevalence and confidence intervals for patient outcomes and adverse events.

Main Results:

• MSC therapy resulted in improvement for 40.4% of MS patients, stability for 32.8%, and worsening for 18.1%.
• No major complications were reported; common minor adverse events included headaches (57.6%) and fever (53.1%).
• Sensitivity analyses confirmed the consistency and credibility of the findings.

Conclusions:

• MSC therapy demonstrates potential as an effective treatment strategy for multiple sclerosis (MS).
• The therapy appears generally safe, with manageable minor adverse events.
• Further research is warranted to fully establish the role of MSCs in MS management.