Small osteoporosis trial links modified marrow-cell treatment to fewer fractures
Ten women with advanced osteoporosis had fewer low-impact fractures after receiving modified bone-marrow cells, but the uncontrolled trial cannot establish efficacy.
A small clinical trial treated 10 women with their own marrow cells after adding a sugar intended to help the cells enter bone tissue. Researchers reported that the participants' rate of low-impact fractures fell during follow-up.
The study had no control group, most participants also used conventional osteoporosis drugs, and researchers did not directly track whether the modified cells reached bone. Larger controlled studies would be needed to determine whether the treatment caused the improvement.