The long-term effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in patients with severe COVID-19 have been evaluated in a three-year follow-up study. The study aimed to assess both the safety and efficacy of MSC treatment in mitigating persistent COVID-19 symptoms and improving overall recovery.
100 patients with severe COVID-19 were initially enrolled in the trial, receiving either MSC infusions (n = 65) or a placebo (n = 35) alongside standard care. Over the three-year period, researchers monitored lung imaging results, pulmonary function, quality of life (SF-36 scores), and the presence of Long COVID symptoms.
At the 36-month follow-up, 46.94% of MSC-treated patients exhibited normal lung imaging findings, compared to 34.48% in the placebo group. Quality of life measures also showed a positive trend in the MSC group, with a general health (GH) score of 67.0 versus 50.0 in the placebo group. However, no significant differences were observed in total lung severity scores (TSS), six-minute walking distance (6-MWD), pulmonary function tests, or Long COVID symptoms between the two groups. Additionally, rates of new-onset complications, including tumorigenesis and tumor marker levels, remained comparable.
After adjusting for pandemic-related factors, reinfection rates were lower in the MSC group (53.06%) compared to the placebo group (67.86%).
The study findings reinforce the long-term safety of MSC therapy in severe COVID-19 patients. Certain indicators, such as lung recovery and quality of life, suggest potential benefits.
