Su K, et al. - Researchers assessed the benefit provided by intraosseous infiltration combined with intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma to treat mild and moderate stages of knee joint degeneration (Kellgren-Lawrence score II–III) vs other treatments, specifically intra-articular injection of PRP and of hyaluronic acid. Within 18 months they noted a significantly superior clinical outcome from the combination of intraosseous with intra-articular injections of PRP.

Methods

• Experts randomly assigned 86 patients with grade II to grade III knee OA according to the Kellgren-Lawrence classification to intra-articular combined with intraosseous injection of PRP (group A), intra-articular PRP (group B), or intra-articular HA (group C).

Results

• Findings suggested that patients in group A received intra-articular combined with intraosseous injection of PRP (administered twice, 2 weeks apart).
• Intra-articular injection of PRP every 14 days was received by patients in group B.
• As per data, patients in group C received a series of 5 intra-articular injections of HA every 7 days.
• Authors evaluated all the patients using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) score before the treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment.
• They noted that at the end of the 1st month there were significant improvements.
• Notably, compared to groups B and C, group A patients had significantly superior VAS and WOMAC scores.
• In groups B and group C, the VAS scores were similar after the 6th month.
• Results demonstrated that, groups B and C differed at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th months regarding the WOMAC scores; nonetheless, no significant difference was observed at the 18th month.