Efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in patients with liver cirrhosis: A systematic review

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease characterized by histological structural changes in the form of fibrotic tissue accumulation as a response to ongoing liver injury. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the global prevalence of liver cirrhosis reaches approximately 170 million people. One emerging therapeutic approach is cell-based therapy, particularly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), which have immunomodulatory, reparative, and regenerative properties. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of MSC therapy in improving liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis, using indicators such as albumin and bilirubin levels, while accounting for the dose, frequency, and route of MSC administration. This research is a systematic review using search methods through PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Cochrane databases, as well as citation searching. The article selection process follows the PRISMA diagram, and risk of bias assessment is conducted using the risk-of-bias tool (RoB2) with the help of RevMan 5.4 software. Of the 305 identified articles, 4 meet the inclusion criteria. The results show that MSC therapy significantly increases albumin levels and decreases bilirubin levels at certain doses and frequencies, whereas a single high dose does not show a significant effect. The intravenous and hepatic artery routes of administration do not differ in effectiveness. MSC therapy with the appropriate dose and frequency is effective in improving liver function in patients with liver cirrhosis.