[Effects of different growth factors on new bone formation: a systematic review]

Using different osteogenic growth factors, which is still under investigation, is a favorable method for bone regeneration. This systematic review is aimed at evaluating the effects of different growth factors and their carriers on osteogenesis. Electronic databases [Medline, EMBase and Cochrane] were searched by the authors for articles published from 1999 to April 2010. Clinical and animal studies evaluating bone formation by applying a specific growth factor and the related carrier were included in this investigation. Obtained data were organized in a table and evaluated through a qualitative analysis. Sixty-three studies most of which evaluated the effects of BMP-2 osteogenesis in different models were included in this study. Totally, twenty-five carriers were applied with different growth factors in the experiments. Among these carriers, poly lactic- co glycolic acid [PLGA], hydroxy apatite/tricalcium phosphate/absorbable collagen sponge [HA/TCP/ACS] and BioOss were the most frequently used carriers with the growth factors in bone regeneration studies. The current evidence, although not strong enough, confirms that BMP-2 has more favorable results in osteogenesis compared with other factors. The carrier scaffold, methods of measurement [histologic or radiographic], type of animal, defect diameter and the length of follow-up are the variables that should be matched before reaching definite results for the effect of growth factors in bone regeneration