Hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, the stromal vascular fraction, or mesenchymal stem cells: which is the best candidate for treating knee osteoarthritis?

Regenerative medicine-based therapies are considered promising for some chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis (OA). Because OA is the most common disease in many countries, significant efforts have long been made to develop effective treatments. Current therapies for OA include hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrates, the stromal vascular fraction from adipose tissue, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Clinical trials testing these agents for OA treatment have been performed for over 10 years. In this review, we summarize and compare the effects of these agents for treating knee OA based on recent meta-analyses.