Comparison of inflammation, clinical improvement, cartilage regeneration following PRP joint injection (platelet-rich plasma injections) in knee cartilage degeneration: A randomised, clinical trial. (December 2022)
The objective of this study was to provide the positive clinical outcomes (pain and functional knee activity) and assess bone/ cartilage biomarkers and inflammatory activity in patients with knee cartilage damage and osteoarthritis following a single injection of joint platelet-rich plasma (IA-PRP). This was also done in combination of joint intraosseous PRP (IA+IO-PRP).
This randomised blinded clinical trial was conducted on 96 patients who all met inclusion criteria. The secondary outcomes were:
1) Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score
2) Inflmmatoey bio markers: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP)
3) bone and cartilage turnover biomarkers [C-telopeptide (CTX-II), N-telopeptide (NTX-I), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), N-terminal propeptide of collagen type-IIA (PIIANP), and hyaluronic acid (HA)],
4) ultrasonography (USG) findings of the knee joint.
Clinical measures were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks of following treatment.
Results identified that joint injection of PRP (IA-PRP) and (IA+IO-PRP) injections significantly improved pain and KOOS scores at 6 and 12 weeks. Furthermore, both PRP groups showed a significant reduction in inflammatory cytokines (ESR, CRP, and CTX-II) at 12 weeks following PRP injections. Also, there was a significant reduction in NTX-I and joint synovial-effusion and infra-patellar bursitis (joint swelling).
To conclude - significant clinical improvements were seen following PRP injection treatment, this in comparison to control group (NS) injections. Both PRP groups reported a significant reduction in pain and inflammatory markers. This then will have positive impacts on slowing further cartilage degradation and stimulating chondrogenesis (cartilage regeneration).
Study can be found here
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