A new clinical trial done by Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and Seoul National University found that the stem cells in umbilical cords could be used as a treatment for eczema. Eczema is a skin condition that results in itchy rashes on the body and it can be extremely difficult to treat.
The trial consisted of 34 patients with eczema who were given a randomly assigned dosage of stem cells. After 12 weeks, 55 percent of the patients who received the highest dosages saw a 50-percent reduction in their eczema area and severity index scores.
The eczema area and severity index score is used to measure the size and extremity of the dermatitis.
The clinical trial found that there was also a decrease in immune markers that are associated with this type of dermatitis.
"This study is a first-in-class study demonstrating that adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis responded to a treatment of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood," said Dr. Tae-Yoon Kim, senior author of the stem cells study, according to Science Daily.
"The single treatment of stem cells in patients resulted in the significant and persistent improvement in disease symptoms throughout the follow-up period of 12 weeks."
Reviewed June 10, 2016
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith