Safety and efficacy of bone marrow mononuclear cell therapy for ischemic stroke recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Cell-based therapy represents a potential treatment for ischemic stroke (IS). Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence provided by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) in patients with IS in any phase after stroke.

We searched several databases for relevant articles up to the 10th of March 2023, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Subgroup analyses were implemented to evaluate the dose and route of BMMNC administration. Statistical data were analyzed by Review Manager version 5.3 software.

Six RCTs were included in this article, including 177 patients who were treated by the transplantation of BMMNCs and 166 patients who received medical treatment. The three-month National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score indicated a favorable outcome for the BMMNC transplantation group (standardized mean difference (SMD), − 0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI), − 0.57 to − 0.11; P = 0.004). There were no significant differences between the two groups at six months post-transplantation with regards to NIHSS score (SMD 0.00; 95% CI − 0.26 to 0.27; P = 0.97), modified Rankin Scale (risk ratio (RR) 1.10; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.63; P = 0.62), Barthel Index change (SMD 0.68; 95% CI − 0.59 to 1.95; P = 0.29), and infarct volume change (SMD − 0.08; 95% CI − 0.42 to 0.26; P = 0.64). In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of safety outcome (RR 1.24; 95% CI 0.80 to 1.91; P = 0.33).

Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the transplantation of BMMNCs was safe; however, the efficacy of this procedure requires further validation in larger RTCs.