Arthritis Expert Lauds Stem Cell Treatment

Researchers are not there yet but PR Newswire reports that stem cell treatment for knee arthritis is showing some positive results. Nathan Wei, M.D., director of the Arthritis Treatment Center located in Frederick, Maryland, has been employing adult stem cells taken from bone marrow and fat to treat patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee.

Wei, who is a board-certified rheumatologist and regenerative medicine expert, believes that patients have achieved not only symptomatic improvement in their condition, but that healing and regeneration of cartilage may be taking place.

He says, “Osteoarthritis options in the past have been limited to symptom relief. We are now entering an era where we have therapies that may also rebuild lost cartilage.”

This is good news for the more than 20 million Americans who experience osteoarthritis in their knees. Wei went on to say, “By administering adult stem cells, in a certain fashion, we may be able to restore lost cartilage. While this action has been demonstrated in multiple animal models, it has only been described in anecdotal reports in humans. Fortunately, we are now conducting clinical studies that are much better controlled and more scientifically valid.”

“The positive effect on arthritis is not only due to multiplication, division, and transformation of the stem cell into cartilage, but it is also due to the fact the stem cell releases proteins that attract other reparative cells to the area. This is called the ‘paracrine’ effect, ” Wei said.