Effects of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis

• HUCB-MSCs significantly reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis patients, as evidenced by lower visual analog scale scores. • HUCB-MSCs improve knee function, indicated by improved WOMAC and Lysholm scores. • The therapy shows a higher incidence of adverse reactions compared to control, but with a number needed to treat of 5, indicating acceptable safety. • Meta-analysis of 6 studies (248 patients) supports the efficacy of HUCB-MSCs for knee osteoarthritis, with moderate quality evidence.