Imagine this… What if there were a
real Fountain of Youth for arthritis sufferers?
Well… perhaps there is.
A featured story, "Stem Cell
Treatments for Zoo Animals Hold Promise for Humans” appeared this past year on
ABC News (Newcomb) and underscored the interest that both scientists as well as
lay people have in the use of stem cells to repair and treat degenerative
conditions.
"We just extract them,
concentrate them, ..wash them and … readminster them. Inject them in your heart
or your knees, wherever you need them," Dr. Eckhard Alt told ABC Station
KTRK-TV in Houston after treating an arthritic pig at the Houston Zoo."
So... why is this technology so
important?
Osteoarthritis is the most common type
of arthritis and is one of the most disabling conditions in developed countries
according to the World Health Organization. Worldwide estimates are that at
least 10 % of men and 18% of women past the age of 60 have symptomatic
osteoarthritis. These figures undoubtedly underestimate the true incidence of
the problem. While age is the primary
predictor of this ailment, genetics and a history of previous trauma also play
significant roles. Other risk factors include obesity, physical inactivity,
smoking, and excessive use of alcohol.
While many other types of arthritis
can be controlled and symptoms alleviated, there
are no such treatments available that can reverse the wear and tear that causes
osteoarthritis!
Couple these sobering statistics and
the lack of effective treatments along with the ever-growing population of Baby
Boomers and a health crisis is in the making.
The numbers tell the story. According to figures supplied by the
Healthcare Research and Quality agency of the federal government, there were
288,471 total hip replacements in 2009, nearly half of them in people under the
age of 65. Knee replacements soared from 264,311 in 1997 to 621, 029 in 2009…
and more than tripled in the 45-to-64 year-old age group.
So what can be done other than to subject
people to having metal and plastic hammered into their joints? And possibly
suffer from the complications and side effects associated with these
procedures…
Recently, there has been interest in
the use of autologous, also known as mesenchymal, stem cells to help reverse
arthritis damage. Stem cells (SCs) are cells that have not yet differentiated
into a specific tissue type. They are "blank slate" cells. SCs have
the ability to multiply and divide, given the proper environment. This property makes them attractive for
treatment of degenerative diseases like arthritis.
Here’s how it works: SCs are obtained
from bone marrow, fat, or blood, and they are concentrated to provide a maximum
number of cells in the smallest possible volume. These cells are capable of
contributing to both repair as well as regeneration. Adult SCs are often referred to as
"repair SCs."
Here are five tips about stem cells
(SCs) for arthritis treatment:
1. There are four types of SCs being
studied. They are embryonic SCs, donor SCs, induced pluripotential adult SCs,
and finally autologous SCs. Of these four, only two, donor SCs and autologous
SCs have been used in either animals or humans to treat arthritis.
2. The results of SC therapy appear
to be dependent on the following factors: age of the patient, body mass index
(BMI), extent of cartilage loss, and the technical expertise of the center
performing the procedure.
3. The procedure for arthritis is
more than just injecting the SCs into the arthritic site. There is a need for some
type of acute injury to help stimulate the stem cells to multiply and divide.
Special guidance using arthroscopy- a small telescope inside the joint- and
diagnostic ultrasound is necessary.
4. Possible complications of SC
treatment can vary. As with any procedure, infection is the primary concern.
5. In the proper hands, autologous SC treatment can be successful. Early data
indicating an improvement in cartilage thickness in the treatment of
osteoarthritis of the knee has been published by our center.
For more information about stem
cells for arthritis, go to:
http://www.arthritistreatmentcenter.com or call (301) 694
5800.
Another great resource is http://www.stemcellsarthritistreatment.com
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