Efficacy and Long-Term Outcomes of Intra-Articular Autologous Micro-Fragmented Adipose Tissue in Individuals with Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis: A 36-Month Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background: Glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GOA) is associated with disabling shoulder pain that affects everyday life. Its management comprises various treatment approaches, both conservative and surgical. Regenerative medicine has gained a major role in the conservative treatment of osteoarthritis. Intra-articular injection of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) is a widely used regenerative medicine approach. The aim of this retrospective study was to report the safety and clinical outcomes of intra-articular injection of ADMSCs in patients with GOA over 36-months. Methods: This retrospective observational study involved patients with chronic shoulder pain resistant to standard conservative treatment and a diagnosis of concentric GOA, who received an intra-articular injection of autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue (μFAT). The values of the Constant–Murley score (CMS), the visual analog scale (VAS), and the simple shoulder test (SST), collected at baseline and at 12, 24, and 36 months, were analyzed to assess treatment efficacy. The single assessment numeric evaluation (SANE) was used to rate patient satisfaction. The Friedman test was used to compare observations of CMS, VAS, and SST values repeated on the same subjects. The significance threshold was set at 0.05. Results: The participants were 65 patients with a mean age of 54.19 years and a nearly equal gender distribution. Most had mild concentric GOA classified as Samilson–Prieto grade 1. The mean follow-up duration was 44.25 months. The postoperative clinical scores showed significant improvement. At 36 months, the CMS was 84.60, the VAS score was 3.34, and the SST score was 10.15 (all p < 0.0001). The SANE score at 36 months indicated that 54 patients (83.08%) were completely satisfied with the treatment. Conclusion: ADMSC treatment exerted favorable effects on the clinical outcomes of patients with GOA, providing pain relief and improving shoulder function. Our data support its use as a conservative treatment option for osteoarthritis.