Autologous cell therapy improved healing rates and reduced ulcer area in patients with diabetic foot ulcers compared to control.

This meta-analysis and systematic review assessed the efficacy of autologous cell therapy for treating diabetic foot ulcers. The analysis pooled data from studies involving 2,214 patients, comparing autologous cell therapy against a control group. The review did not report the specific study phases, settings, or follow-up durations for the individual trials included in the synthesis.

Regarding primary outcomes, the autologous cell therapy group demonstrated a significantly higher complete healing rate compared to the control group. The relative risk was 0.54 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.45. Additionally, the therapy group showed a significantly greater reduction in ulcer area, with a mean difference of 24.6% and a 95% CI of 18.3% to 30.9% (P < 0.05).

Safety and tolerability data were not reported for adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, or general tolerability in the review. Consequently, the safety profile of autologous cell therapy in this context remains undefined based on this evidence. The review did not provide information regarding funding sources, conflicts of interest, or specific limitations of the included studies.

While the results suggest potential benefits for complete healing and area reduction, the absence of safety reporting and the aggregated nature of the data limit direct clinical application. Clinicians should weigh these efficacy signals against the unknown safety profile and the lack of detailed study characteristics before considering this intervention for diabetic foot ulcers.