March 07, 2016
February 21, 2016—Palm Springs, California—The beneficial clinical effects of platelet-rich plasma injections for knee osteoarthritis pain remained stable from the end of treatment through 6 months follow up in most studies of the technique.
This outcome of a systematic review encompassing 24 studies was presented at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, from February 18 – 21.
Dmitri Souzdalnitski, MD PhD, of Western Reserve Hospital, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, explained that platelet-rich plasma and other autologous products have been gaining interest from both research and clinical audiences. Recent data suggest that platelet-rich plasma injections can effectively complement conventional management strategies.
Dr. Souzdalnitski and colleagues set out to synthesize the published data on the duration of the clinical effect of platelet-rich plasma in knee osteoarthritis chondropathies.
Clinical trials reporting the effect of platelet-rich plasma on knee pain were characterized according to the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations.
Twenty-four relevant studies encompassing 1970 patients were included in the analysis. Studies focused on outcomes of treatment with or without plasma-rich plasma/related autologous products. A consistent and clinically significant improvement was reported in pain scores and functional indexes in the majority of studies.
Dr. Souzdalnitzki concluded that data from available clinical reports suggest that treatment with platelet-rich plasma and/or related autologous products may decrease pain and enhance functional status and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis and chondropathies.
Beneficial clinical effects of platelet-rich plasma injections for knee osteoarthritis pain remained stable from the end of therapy through 6 months in most studies of the technique.
Symptoms were worse at 12 months follow-up, but still better than baseline in the majority of studies. Outcomes varied, possibly due to treatment technique and specific autologous product preparation.