The administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which increases the release of growth factors targeting cartilage regeneration, is used in an effort to relieve pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study measured the short-term efficacy of PRP on chronic pain in patients with OA of the knee.
Patients with chronic knee pain and grade 2-4 knee OA based on the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) classification were enrolled in the study. A total of 60 knee joints of 42 patients who completed 3 doses of intraarticular PRP injections administered at intervals of 3 weeks were analyzed. The patients' pain was evaluated using a resting and activity visual analog scale (VAS) on day 0, and at week 3, 6, and 12.
Of the 42 patients, 37 were female. The mean age and body mass index was 60.52+-10.41 years and 28.5+-9.71 kg/m2. A total of 18 patients had bilateral knee involvement, and 39 of the 60 knee joints were classified as K-L grade 3-4 OA. A significant improvement was observed in the mean resting and activity VAS scores at day 0 and week 12 (p<0.05). In K-L grade 2 patients, the day 0 and week 3 resting and activity VAS scores were significantly better than the grade 3-4 scores (p<0.05).
It was observed that PRP injections provided a meaningful improvement in chronic knee pain in patients with knee OA throughout a 12-week period. The pain reduction response to PRP was better in patients with early-stage knee OA.