Safety and Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapeutics in Wound Healing: A Rapid Review of Available Evidence

Zeinab Shaker; Zohreh Shaker; Mohsen Barouni

doi:10.18502/htaa.v5i2.8004

Zeinab Shaker School of Management and Medical Information Science, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, IranSchool of Management and Medical Information Science, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Zohreh Shaker School of Management and Medical Information Science, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mohsen Barouni Health Services Management Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/htaa.v5i2.8004

Keywords: Stem Cell, Wound Healing, Safety, Efficacy

Abstract

Background: Skin and wound injuries are important health problems with great mortality rates. While there are different alternative therapies, there is no agreement on the best therapy for burn wounds and wound complications. Stem cell therapy has an optimistic prospect in many preclinical studies of burn wounds and diabetic wounds.

Objectives: In this study, we performed a rapid review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy in wound treatment.

Methods: This rapid review of the evidence aimed to evaluate the potential effects of stem cells on wound healing to create a policy guide for policymakers in the health care system. We searched such databases as PubMed and Scopus on March 13, 2021 using keywords, including “stem cells and wound healing”, “safety”, and “efficacy”. The references of retrieved studies were also checked to ensure the capture of the literature. Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of stem cells on wound healing published in Persian and English were included. Generally, we used the PICO (population, intervention, control, and outcomes) model for search strategy.

Results: Out of a total of 92 retrieved papers, 22 studies were eligible for inclusion. The overall review showed that stem cell therapy improved wounds. Also, studies showed that using stem cell technology in a non-invasive way could be a good alternative. However, the limitations of this technology consisted of the need to improve cell delivery methods, cell sustainability, heterogeneity in the research of mesenchymal stem cells, and wound substrate. Further studies are needed to determine its safety and efficacy.

Conclusions: Although the evidence on the safety and efficacy of using stem cells for wound healing was limited, studies showed that stem cell technology is a good alternative to traditional therapies. Future clinical studies should consider the differences in the studies to achieve maximum effectiveness.