Table 4 Longitudinal change of MRI and clinical outcomes for case and control groups over the 1-year follow-up

WOMAC

AD-MSCs

58.35 ± 13.25

25.90 ± 14.57

16.75 ± 13.81

19.05 ± 14.12

 < 0.001

Control

65.42 ± 14.63

54.73 ± 17.07

55.63 ± 23.17

63.47 ± 20.68

VAS

AD-MSCs

7.40 ± 1.35

3.75 ± 1.58

3.15 ± 1.87

3.25 ± 1.58

 < 0.001

Control

7.73 ± 1.14

6.10 ± 1.48

7 ± 1.85

7.47 ± 1.54

KOOS

Pain

AD-MSCs

35.40 ± 15.30

69.80 ± 12.52

79.45 ± 11.97

73.25 ± 16.11

 < 0.001

Control

25.10 ± 14.12

38.78 ± 16.12

32.10 ± 21.02

27 ± 20.72

Symptom

AD-MSCs

50.45 ± 23.65

79.95 ± 20.52

89.15 ± 15.16

84.35 ± 15.76

 < 0.001

Control

42.15 ± 23.53

57.89 ± 20.40

53.05 ± 20.09

41.68 ± 20.49

Quality of life

AD-MSCs

16.90 ± 16.94

56.90 ± 18.31

64.60 ± 17.58

60.35 ± 18.94

 < 0.001

Control

13.26 ± 11.47

27.05 ± 15.34

18.78 ± 18.24

16.78 ± 18.33

Daily function

AD-MSCs

32.80 ± 15.26

68.70 ± 15.16

80.85 ± 13.64

78.10 ± 15.80

 < 0.001

Control

30.52 ± 14.43

42.15 ± 17.87

39.78 ± 22.61

32.89 ± 20.80

Sport & recreation

AD-MSCs

3.46 ± 16.18

28 ± 20.35

33.50 ± 23.95

21.75 ± 18.58

 < 0.001

Control

6.75 ± 22.37

5 ± 6.45

1.84 ± 5.05

1.05 ± 3.15

Total KOOS

AD-MSCs

28.30 ± 14.90

60.60 ± 10.20

69.15 ± 12.22

63.75 ± 15.40

 < 0.001

Control

22.05 ± 9.57

34.68 ± 13.50

29.57 ± 16.28

23.84 ± 15.09

SF-36

PF

AD-MSCs

29.50 ± 11.90

61.75 ± 17.03

72.75 ± 16.66

72.50 ± 17.65

 < 0.001

Control

29.47 ± 11.04

38.42 ± 17.79

32.10 ± 17.58

28.68 ± 14.79

RP

AD-MSCs

25 ± 18.13

85 ± 27.38

88.75 ± 17.15

96.25 ± 12.23

 < 0.001

Control

26.31 ± 21.20

53.94 ± 31.47

36.84 ± 25.50

31.57 ± 32.10

BP

AD-MSCs

15.12 ± 15.68

58.87 ± 20

66.50 ± 20.98

65.25 ± 15.89

 < 0.001

Control

15.13 ± 14.58

36.31 ± 22.25

21.44 ± 17.85

23.02 ± 24.44

GH

AD-MSCs

37 ± 13.70

70.25 ± 17.73

72.50 ± 14.18

71.75 ± 18.01

 < 0.001

Control

31.84 ± 12.15

47.89 ± 17.89

32.05 ± 19.69

26.57 ± 19.72

VT

AD-MSCs

56.25 ± 12.01

68 ± 15.42

69.75 ± 11.52

71 ± 11.42

 < 0.001

Control

46.31 ± 15.44

58.94 ± 13.49

48.68 ± 14.79

46.05 ± 20.58

SF

AD-MSCs

30 ± 24.12

64.37 ± 17.33

72 ± 21.36

69.37 ± 16.46

 < 0.001

Control

32.23 ± 22.17

51.57 ± 23.69

37.50 ± 20.83

24.34 ± 23

RE

AD-MSCs

9.99 ± 19.02

81.66 ± 29.57

86.66 ± 25.13

95 ± 16.31

 < 0.001

Control

14.02 ± 20.22

54.37 ± 37.02

24.55 ± 34.85

19.30 ± 35.69

MH

AD-MSCs

22.50 ± 19.70

70 ± 15.38

81.25 ± 19.65

85 ± 17.01

 < 0.001

Control

15.78 ± 19.02

48.68 ± 26.96

36.84 ± 26.83

25 ± 26.35

MRI (mm)

TMA

AD-MSCs

1.86 ± 0.53

–

–

1.98 ± 0.56

 < 0.05

Control

1.49 ± 0.88

–

–

1.37 ± 0.81

TMC

AD-MSCs

1.78 ± 0.69

–

–

1.79 ± 0.69

0.840

Control

1.76 ± 0.7

–

–

1.71 ± 0.68

TMP

AD-MSCs

2.01 ± 0.29

–

–

2.07 ± 0.26

 < 0.01

Control

1.81 ± 0.25

–

–

1.78 ± 0.18

TLA

AD-MSCs

1.70 ± 0.75

–

–

1.67 ± 0.71

0.997

Control

1.70 ± 0.66

–

–

1.67 ± 0.65

TLC

AD-MSCs

2.01 ± 0.42

–

–

2.05 ± 0.41

0.420

Control

1.90 ± 0.61

–

–

1.88 ± 0.58

TLP

AD-MSCs

1.77 ± 0.31

–

–

1.82 ± 0.26

0.414

Control

1.98 ± 0.52

–

–

1.82 ± 0.46

FMA

AD-MSCs

2.20 ± 0.67

–

–

2.22 ± 0.63

0.397

Control

1.99 ± 1.01

–

–

1.94 ± 0.98

FMC

AD-MSCs

1.78 ± 0.82

–

–

1.81 ± 0.83

0.462

Control

1.59 ± 0.9

–

–

1.57 ± 0.87

FMP

AD-MSCs

2.36 ± 0.79

–

–

2.39 ± 0.76

0.823

Control

2.43 ± 0.72

–

–

2.43 ± 0.73

FLA

AD-MSCs

1.97 ± 0.65

–

–

2.15 ± 0.67

0.677

Control

2.19 ± 0.45

–

–

2.09 ± 0.48

FLC

AD-MSCs

1.81 ± 0.43

–

–

1.80 ± 0.39

0.731

Control

1.86 ± 0.43

–

–

1.84 ± 0.42

FLP

AD-MSCs

2.20 ± 0.61

–

–

2.23 ± 0.72

0.611

Control

2.38 ± 0.63

–

–

2.28 ± 0.60