Efficacy of autologous stem cell-based therapy for osteonecrosis of the femoral head in sickle cell disease: a five-year follow-up study.

Introduction: Stem cell therapy with bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMCs) is an option for improving joint function in osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) numbers and their osteogenic differentiation are decreased in patients with ONFH. However, whether this decrease also extends to the early stages of ONFH in sickle cell disease (SCD) is still unclear.