Intraarticular plasma-rich platelet, hyaluronic acid combo is safe, effective in treating knee osteoarthritis

A single intraarticular plasma-rich platelet (PRP) injection combined with a hyaluronic acid (HA) of either Artz or HYAJOINT Plus was found to be safe and effective for 6 months in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to results of a clinical trial.

In the prospective randomized-controlled trial, 99 patients with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 knee OA with average knee pain ≥30 mm on a 0-100 mm pain visual analog scale (VAS) were randomized to receive a single intraarticular HA (Artz, 2.5 ml, 10 mg/ml) followed by 3 ml PRP (n = 50) or a single intraarticular cross-linked HA (HYAJOINT Plus, 3 ml, 20 mg/ml) followed by 3 ml PRP (n = 49).

Ninety-five patients were analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis.

At 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, patients in both groups experience significant improvements in VAS pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Lequesne index, and single leg stance (SLS) measures.

Better improvements in Lequesne index at 1 month and WOMAC-stiffness score at 6 months were found in patients treated with PRP + Artz, whereas superiority in SLS at 1, 3, and 6 months was found in patients treated with PRP+ HYAJOINT Plus. There were no significant differences between groups at other follow-up time points.

At 3 months after injection, patients with baseline WOMAC-pain score >8.5, WOMAC-function score >21.7, and WOMAC-total score >32, respectively, had better effects in WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-function, and WOMAC-total scores those treated with PRP + HYAJOINT Plus injections than those treated with PRP + Artz.

Reference
Huang HY, Hsu CW, Lin GC, et al. Comparing efficacy of a single intraarticular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with different hyaluronans for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized-controlled clinical trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23(1):954. doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05906-5. PMID: 36329428; PMCID: PMC9635114.