More Evidence For PRP In Knee Osteoarthritis

Samuel G Oltman, ND, RMSK

Over just the past 3 months several studies have been published that show the superiority of PRP to conventional treatments for knee osteoarthritis (OA). This is a continuation of a pattern that has been forming for years of consistent, high quality, double blind, controlled trials and meta-analyses showing properly made PRP is better for knee OA than steroids or Hyaluronic Acid (HA) alone (the current "standard of care"). If your healthcare provider is telling you “there’s no evidence for PRP” for your knee then they aren’t keeping up. 

1. November 2023 Meta-analysis: PRP and PRP+HA is superior to steroids and HA alone at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months post-treatment. Included analysis of over 3100 subjects.

2. December 2023 Meta-analysis: PRP is superior to HA alone and steroids in pain AND function scores, most significantly at 6 months post-treatment. Included analysis of over 3600 subjects.

3. December 2023 Literature Review: PRP is effective in knee OA for pain, function, range of motion, and mobility. PRP slowed OA progression, validating the mechanism of impeding the degenerative process. Concentration must be 4.8-5.9x above baseline (lower levels are not effective, hence the importance of PRP concentration).

4. *Bonus* January 2024 Prospective Trial: MFAT is effective in Knee OA at 4 years post-treatment: 50% average pain reduction and 20% improvement of function scores after 4 years following a single treatment! Age, cartilage defect severity, BMI, and number of stem cells did not affect the outcomes (interesting nugget here suggesting we don't fully understand the mechanism at this point).  

All of this in just the last 3 months. You can see more of the full body of literature on our PRP page and/or our other articles. What we see more of in the literature now is an emphasis on quantifying PRP so that we know what is being studied. Not all PRP is created equal and platelet count is what matters. It’s why we make our PRP the way we do, test every batch, and participate in observational research. 

This is evidence-based. This is cutting-edge. This is what modern orthopedic care looks like. See the difference at Cascade Regenerative Medicine today.

References:

1. Qiao X, Yan L, Feng Y, et al. Efficacy and safety of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and PRP and combination therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2023;24(1):926.

2. Khalid S, Ali A, Deepak F, et al. Comparative effectiveness of intra-articular therapies in knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis comparing platelet-rich plasma (Prp) with other treatment modalities. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024;86(1):361-372.

3. Crowley JL, Soti V. Platelet-rich plasma therapy: an effective approach for managing knee osteoarthritis. Cureus. 2023;15(12):e50774.

4. Onorato F, Rucci M, Alessio-Mazzola M, et al. Autologous microfragmented adipose tissue treatment of knee osteoarthritis demonstrates effectiveness in 68% of patients at 4-year follow-up. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. Published online January 11, 2024.