Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Hyaluronic Acid in Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of arthritis and leading causes of disability. Intra-articular injection of PRP or steroid may provide benefit for patients suffering from osteoarthritis of knees, preventing, and delaying the need of a larger operative measures as many of the senile patients suffering from OA knee are quite hesitant to undergo any operative measure for the same. Materials and Methods: This was prospective type of study, with randomised selection of the patients for the assessment of outcome of treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis with intra articular injections of PRP or hyaluronic acid. This study was carried out in the department of orthopaedics at our institute. In this study both injections given superolaterally weekly for 3 weeks. Study conducted over 2 years, a total of 50 patients suffering from OA knee were included in the study depending upon inclusion criteria. These patients were randomly selected for injection in a sequential manner i.e., case number 1,3,5,7 and so on sequentially were given injection HA. Case number 2,4,6,8 and so on sequentially were given injection PRP. Patients were evaluated prospectively at enrolment and at 6 weeks, 3 and 6-months follow-up with WOMAC and KSS scores. Results: PRP seems to be more efficient as compared to HA in salvaging knee in osteoarthritis. It can work as a salvaging agent in mild to moderate osteoarthritis of knee. HA injection has been found to be effective only in short term cases. Conclusion: The clinical results of this study show that both these non-surgical modalities (intraarticular injections of PRP or HA) are useful for the treatment of osteoarthritis of knee. Treatment with PRP shows significantly better outcome compared with HA group; with respect to WOMAC and KSS scores.