Amniotic membrane, umbilical cord injection may reduce pain, improve function in knee OA
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Intra-articular injection of amniotic membrane/umbilical cord particulate may reduce pain and improve function in patients with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis, according to published results.
Leon P. Mead, MD, and colleagues collected and assessed patient demographics, OA severity, comorbidities, treatment regimens, complications and patient-reported outcomes among 42 patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 or 4 symptomatic knee OA who received an intra-articular injection of 100-mg amniotic membrane/umbilical cord particulate (Clarix Flo, Tissuetech Inc.). Researchers assessed patient global impression of change and used global perceived improvement to further quantify the degree of symptomatic change. Using Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International responder criteria, researchers also assessed clinically important response to treatment at 12 months.
Despite prior treatment with oral/topical NSAIDs and intra-articular injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, results showed patients had patient-rated pain scores of approximately 6.6 prior to amniotic membrane/umbilical cord particulate injection. Researchers found 74% of patients reported significant clinical improvement via patient global impression of change 12 months following amniotic membrane/umbilical cord particulate injection. Researchers also noted an Outcome Measures in Rheumatology- Osteoarthritis Research Society International treatment response rate of 81%. Patients had a global perceived improvement of pain and function of approximately 62% at 1 month, 69% at 3 and 6 months, and 64% at 12 months, according to results. Patients maintained symptomatic improvement for an average duration of approximately 12.1 months, researchers noted. Besides one patient who developed swelling in the knee within 36 hours of injection, researchers found no other adverse events or complications.
“While this study stands as a platform for additional prospective randomized trials to verify these findings, this research suggests that amniotic membrane preparations may provide long-term (up to 1 year) improvement in pain and function for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who have failed traditional medical treatment or wish to delay surgery,” Mead told Healio Orthopedics. “Additional longitudinal studies may demonstrate the potential for disease modification of osteoarthritis with serial applications of amniotic membrane.”
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