Biological Targets of Multimolecular Therapies in Middle-Age Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition, prevalent in middle-agedness, associated with chronic pain and impaired quality of life. Two interrelated biological processes fuel early OA progression: inflammation and structural tissues catabolism. Procatabolic and proinflammatory mediators are interconnected and form part of a self-perpetuating loop.

Intra-articular gold induced cytokine (GOLDIC®) injection therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of knee joint: a clinical study.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel technique of preconditioning autologous blood with gold particles (GOLDIC®) and injection in patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Methods: During this phase 2a, proof-of-concept (PoC) open label study, 83 consecutive patients that 64 patients met inclusion criteria (mean age: 64.8 years; 89 knees) with radiographically proven KOA, received four ultrasound guided intra-articular knee injections of GOLDIC® at three to six day intervals.

Stromal vascular fraction technologies and clinical applications.

: The heterogeneous pool of cells found in the stromal vascular fraction of adipose tissue (SVF) and the purified mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (ASCs) isolated from this pool have increasingly been used as therapeutic tools in regenerative medicine.: As SVF and ASCs are different, and should be used in different manners according to various clinical and biological indications, we reviewed the current literature, and focused on the clinical use of SVF to appraise the main medical fields for development. Both enzymatic digestion and mechanical disruption have been used to obtain SVF for non-homologous use.

Blood-Derived Products for Tissue Repair/Regeneration.

Medical interest in "blood-derived products for tissue repair/regeneration" has old roots, starting with chronic wounds in the 1980s, and boosted by sports medicine at the beginning of the millennium, when elite athletes treated with platelet rich plasma (PRP) resumed competition earlier than expected [...

ICON PART-T 2019-International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: recommended standards for reporting participant characteristics in tendinopathy research (PART-T).

We aimed to establish consensus for reporting recommendations relating to participant characteristics in tendon research. A scoping literature review of tendinopathy studies (Achilles, patellar, hamstring, gluteal and elbow) was followed by an online survey and face-to-face consensus meeting with expert healthcare professionals (HCPs) at the International Scientific Tendon Symposium, Groningen 2018. We reviewed 263 papers to form statements for consensus and invited 30 HCPs from different disciplines and geographical locations; 28 completed the survey and 15 attended the meeting.

Efficacy and safety of culture-expanded, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a progressive multifactorial condition of the musculoskeletal system with major symptoms including pain, loss of function, damage of articular cartilage and other tissues in the affected area. Knee osteoarthritis imposes major individual and social burden, especially with the cost and complexity of surgical interventions. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells have been indicated as a treatment for degenerative musculoskeletal conditions given their capacity to differentiate into tissues of the musculoskeletal system.

Hallux Valgus Surgery in the Athlete: Current Evidence.

Hallux valgus is a common disorder characterized by a medial deviation of the 1st metatarsal, eventually leading to subluxation and pain of the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint. This can inhibit sports activity. Despite being a common forefoot pathology, debate exists regarding the appropriate surgical approach in the athletic population.

New biotechnologies for musculoskeletal injuries.

The practice of any sport is inherently associated with the risk of musculoskeletal lesions. We describe regenerative medicine technologies, including cellular therapies, gene therapies and multimolecular preparations of growth factors and cytokines, which are expected to advance the field of orthopaedics and sports medicine. Gene therapy involves the introduction of genetic information in the injured tissue to help that tissue to heal and, possibly, regenerate.

Some patients (and some of us) respond better to some biological therapies: the as yet unsolved conundrum.

Very often, treatment for many common musculoskeletal conditions is only palliative, or involves surgery with major shortcomings. Biological interventions-in particular, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies-may well provide more effective treatments, but their actual efficacy is under scrutiny. PRP is biologically unique to each individual depending on endogenous and exogenous factors, including, but not limited to, demographic factors (i.

Amniotic Epithelial Stem Cells: Salient Features and Possible Therapeutic Role.

This is a study of amniotic epithelial cells, which form the innermost layer of the amniotic membrane. These cells can be easily isolated and display peculiar and unique properties, such as plasticity and differentiation potential toward the 3 germinal layers, that may aid regeneration and/or repair of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. A robust literature based on in vitro, experimental, and clinical studies in large animals demonstrates that these cells can enhance the regeneration of tendons, bone, and articular cartilage.

Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis With Radial Soundwave "Early" Is Better Than After 6 Months: A Pilot Study.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy/radial soundwave therapy has been predominantly used for chronic or recalcitrant plantar fasciitis with strong scientific evidence of reliable outcomes. Most of the studies included patients with plantar fasciitis with symptoms >6 months in duration. Only 2 known studies have investigated acute plantar fasciitis, which is <6 weeks in duration.

The effectiveness of prolotherapy in treating knee osteoarthritis in adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) often leads to symptoms such as pain, stiffness and decreased function. OA is treated with a wide range of modalities, both conservatively and surgically. Prolotherapy has been used to treat various musculoskeletal problems and has shown some promise.

Biological Therapies in Regenerative Sports Medicine.

Regenerative medicine seeks to harness the potential of cell biology for tissue replacement therapies, which will restore lost tissue functionality. Controlling and enhancing tissue healing is not just a matter of cells, but also of molecules and mechanical forces. We first describe the main biological technologies to boost musculoskeletal healing, including bone marrow and subcutaneous fat-derived regenerative products, as well as platelet-rich plasma and conditioned media.

Core decompression versus other joint preserving treatments for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) leads to hip osteoarthritis (HOA); among joint preserving treatments (JPT), the role of core decompression (CD) is still debated. We assessed the efficacy of CD compared with all other JPT in delaying the natural osteonecrosis evolution to HOA.

Sources Of Data: Following the PRISMA checklist, the Medline and Scopus databases were searched.

Microfracture produces inferior outcomes to other cartilage repair techniques in chondral injuries in the paediatric knee.

Introduction: Chondral injuries are becoming increasingly common in the paediatric knee. First line surgical therapy is usually microfracture (MF), but the emergence of alternative techniques raises the question of what is the optimal treatment in paediatric patients.

Sources Of Data: A comprehensive search of PubMed, OVID, Web of Science, SportDiscus and Cochrane databases was performed using the key words 'autologous chondrocyte implantation, MF, mosaicplasty, juvenile, paediatric'.

Muscle and tendon injuries: the role of biological interventions to promote and assist healing and recovery.

Purpose: To summarize clinical studies after platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy, and muscle injuries; to review PRP formulations used across studies; and to identify knowledge deficits that require further investigation.

Methods: After a systematic review in PubMed, we identified clinical studies assessing PRP efficacy in tendon and muscle during the past decade. We standardized data extraction by grouping studies based on anatomic location; summarized patient populations, PRP formulations, and clinical outcomes; and identified knowledge deficits that require further investigation.