Читать книгу The SAGE Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research - Группа авторов - Страница 457
Arthritis
ОглавлениеArthritis is a disease known all too well by millions of people. The word arthritis is used as an umbrella term to group over 100 known diseases. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative joint disease. It can result from a variety of causes, including age, trauma to the joints, and even infection of the joint. Osteoarthritis is characterized by a steady degradation of the cartilage of the joints. Symptoms include bouts of joint pain, rigidity within the joints themselves, and tenderness. In the United States, osteoarthritis is the most prevalent cause of long-term disability, affecting nearly 27 million Americans.
Current therapies for the disease are simply a means to assuage its superficial symptoms. Pain relievers are often prescribed to alleviate the accompanying joint discomfort. However, these medications carry their own risks, resulting in increased rates of cardiovascular disease and, in some cases, gastrointestinal bleeding. The need for a more effective and permanent cure for the disease is at the forefront. Stem cells may provide a means to regenerate the lost cartilage of the joints.
Again, the limitless capabilities of stem cells may prove to hold the key to a cure for osteoarthritis. A study worthy of note has shown the benefits of a stem cell treatment for patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Researchers injected mesenchymal stem cells into the knees of six patients suffering from osteoarthritis and followed them for one year. The findings were remarkable. The patients experienced a reduction in pain, along with an improvement in function, and significant reformation of the lost cartilage documented via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is just one of the countless number of clinical trials under way targeting osteoarthritis. The injection of stem cells directly into the joints of interest is proving to be a more than effective form of intervention.
In large part, the tangible results of stem cells still seem years away. However, the battle against osteoarthritis is one where a clear sign of victory is just beyond the horizon. The groundbreaking results of the study listed above as well as the plethora of results soon to pour in from clinical trials just like it only reaffirm the stance that stem cells are more than just a mere possibility, they are a legitimate cure. The future is now. It is only a matter of time before the near-limitless potential of these cells is truly extracted.