Efficacy of intradiscal injection of autologous mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of discogenic low back pain: A single arm meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

In recent years, research on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for treating Discogenic Low Back Pain (DLBP) has been steadily increasing, yet there remains a lack of Meta-analysis focusing specifically on autologous MSCs (AMSCs) for this condition. This study comprehensively analyzes all published research on AMSCs in the treatment of DLBP and summarizes the evidence-based medical findings regarding the efficacy of this regenerative therapy for DLBP.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Ovid databases for articles published from database inception through April 2025. Following rigorous screening of all identified studies investigating AMSCs for DLBP treatment and performing a meta-analysis to evaluate the collective evidence.

Results

Four studies were included in our analysis, all of which were prospective single-arm trials (PSATs). The meta-analysis demonstrated significant reductions in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Pain score decreased by >30% and >50% from baseline, with incidence rates of 52.20%, 66.00%, 67.90%, and 76.80% for >30% reduction, and 34.21%, 50.74%, 69.32%, and 67.74% for >50% reduction at these respective time points. Subgroup analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the incidence of >30% or >50% pain score reduction between the AMSCs + hyaluronic acid (HA) combination group and AMSCs monotherapy group at equivalent follow-up intervals.

Conclusion

Intradiscal injection of AMSCs demonstrates both safety and clinical efficacy in the treatment of DLBP. The 6-month follow-up represents a clinically meaningful timepoint for evaluating the therapeutic effects of AMSCs. No significant differences were observed between AMSCs combined with HA and AMSCs monotherapy in terms of clinical outcomes.