Osteoarthritis: How Stem Cell Therapy could be the answer

                     32.5 Million US Adults per year are affected by Osteoarthritis

 

    Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the US, and it results in the breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects individuals over the age of 40, most commonly in our generation: our parents and grandparents. This disease can cause a lot of everyday pain, even more with physical activity, however, work towards a cure is being made. Stem Cell Therapy is being studied to regenerate cartilage in the joints to alleviate the pain and suffering of Osteoarthritis. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence-based points

 

1.     The advantages of this therapy are that cartilage can be grown from stem cells in your body, and that is known to help with other diseases such as type 1 diabetes. This is a therapy that is known for a quick recovery and the treatment plan is relatively fast. 

 

 

2.     Since the therapy is relatively new, there is not much research on this, and some research has shown bad outcomes such as tumor growth and cell rejection. 

 

 

Practical applications

If this therapy was successful, symptoms of Osteoarthritis would be subsided, and patients would have relief from this disease. This type of therapy could be used towards other forms of arthritis, but further tests needs to be done, since the population of individuals who have this disease are over the age of 40. In the future, we need to study this topic further, with more clinical trials, including an increased age range, ethnicity, and gender. To ensure confidence in this type of therapy, more studies need to be completed, especially to support the data we have already seen. 

 

 

 

 

Resources for Audience (live links)

 

1.     Visit the CDC website for more information

a.     https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/osteoarthritis.htm

2.     One of the top hospitals that is conducting this research 

a.     https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-stem-cell-therapy-for-arthritis/

 

 

 

 

My name is Anna Stewart and I am a Movement Science: Sports Medicine major at Westfield State University, I plan to apply to DPT Graduate school after graduation. I chose to study this topic because it affects members of my family and I wanted to learn more about it. Being a Movement Science student has allowed me to explore my passion for healthcare and gave me a direction for the future. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References (APA)

 

Jevotovsky, D. S., Alfonso, A. R., Einhorn, T. A., & Chiu, E. S. 

      (2018). Osteoarthritis and stem cell therapy in humans: a 

      systematic review. Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 26(6), 

      711–729.

Wang, Y., Yuan, M., Guo, Q. Y., Lu, S. B., & Peng, J. (2015). 

      Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treating Articular Cartilage 

      Defects and Osteoarthritis. Cell transplantation, 24(9), 1

      661–1678.

Caldwell, K. L., & Wang, J. (2015). Cell-based articular cartilage repair: t

      the link between development and regeneration. Osteoarthritis and             cartilage, 23(3), 351–362.