Intra-Articular Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Hyaluronic Acid in Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis (Systematic Review and Meta-analysis)

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive joint disease involving intra-articular and peri-articular structures. The pathologic characteristics of knee osteoarthritis include articular cartilage lesions, synovitis, subchondral sclerosis, and osteophytosis. Compliance with nonsurgical treatments is poor, and medications, such as simple analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are associated with adverse events. During the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the use of Hyaluronic acid and autologous growth factors, such as intra-articular injections of platelet-rich plasma to treat knee osteoarthritis. In the present meta-analysis we included 13 studies (No. of patients =1127 patients) comparing the effect of PRP versus HA intra-articular injection. Both treatments proved their effectiveness in the knee functional status and symptom relief. In our study, the overall effect favoured PRP over HA for WOMAC function score, WOMAC pain score, WOMAC stiffness score, and WOMAC total score; mostly 6 and 12 months after treatment.