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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Knees Are Not Meant For Knocking

People suffering from painful joints and gimpy knees can find hope by looking toward Lancaster. The Antelope Valley city is the surprising site for a new study by USC Keck School of Medicine in Boyle Heights on the effectiveness of adult donor stem cells to treat knee osteoarthritis. The findings could apply to other joints and conditions as well. “There are very few clinical human studies about stem cells,” said Dr. Thomas Vangsness, a USC orthopedic surgeon and chief researcher on the project. “We know that these cells can grow and replace cells or release the chemical factors that can alter and heal tissues.” Earlier this year, Vangsness published findings that proved one stem cell injection after knee surgery can aid in the regrowth of the meniscus, the C-shaped pieces of cartilage that cushion bones in the joint. The Lancaster study will focus on adult stem cells that can differentiate and grow into cartilage, muscle, tendon or connective tissue. Researchers will inject the cells into patients’ knees and map their effect with computer images. Vangsness selected Lancaster because he has been on the staff at Antelope Valley Hospital, operated by a local hospital district, for 14 years and has good relationships there. Dr. Don Parazo, treasurer of the hospital’s board, said as a public institution, the hospital wanted to support the study to move health science forward. The hospital will recruit patients and provide magnetic resonance imaging and nursing support for the researchers. “We thought this would be a good example of our hospital being involved in innovation,” he said. The Lancaster study will be roughly double the size of Vangsness’ earlier research, involving 100 patients over the next year. The patients, ranging from 35 to 60 years old and meeting specific medical criteria, will be separated into three control groups. The study kicked off with a press conference on Oct. 28 at which Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris spoke on the impact the research could have. “Millions of Americans suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee. This debilitating disease literally cripples adults who would otherwise be actively involved in their communities,” Parris said in a statement. “The work Dr. Vangsness is doing is groundbreaking in the field of biomedical research.” If successful, the treatment could become an alternative to knee replacement, Parazo said, though further studies will be needed. “A lot of people think stem cells are new and we don’t know what the outcome will be,” he said. “There are several steps we need to do with this research, but we’re committed.” – Olga Grigoryants

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