Intra-articular Platelet Rich Plasma versus Corticosteroid in Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Haggag, Hager; Ganeb, Sahar; Ameen, Seham G.; Amer, Arwa S.

doi:10.21608/bmfj.2025.356901.2318

Intra-articular Platelet Rich Plasma versus Corticosteroid in Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ MBBch Faculty of Medicine, Menofia University

² Rheumatology, Rehabilitation & physical Medicine / Faculty of Medicine / Benha University / Benha / Egypt

³ Clinical and Chemical Pathology Faculty of Medicine, Benha University.

⁴ Rheumatology, Rehabilitation & Physical Medicine / Faculty of Medicine / Benha University / Benha / Egypt

10.21608/bmfj.2025.356901.2318

Abstract

Background: One of the most important treatment modalities for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), which accounts for 23% of all cases of arthritis, is intra-articular injection, which can involve a variety of agents, the most common of which are corticosteroid (CS) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Injectable CSs seek to directly alter the inflammatory response on the osteoarthritic surface, while PRP, an autologous blood product, primarily consists of concentrated platelets and growth factors. The study's purpose was to evaluate the intra-articular PRP injection impact versus CS in the primary KOA management in to ascertain which intervention is more successful. Subjects and methods: this study is a randomized controlled trial and was conducted on 100 patients suffering from KOA diagnosed according to 2016 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) revised criteria. All patients were divided into two equal groups: Group I included 50 patients who were injected intra-articular with two ml of methylprednisolone acetate, and Group II included 50 patients who were injected with five ml of PRP. The knee pain, stiffness, and physical function were assessed through the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) at two, six, and 12 weeks. Results: Both interventions led to significant improvements in the WOMAC score (P<0.001), but the PRP group exhibited lower WOMAC in comparison to the steroid group at all-time points, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001 for 2, 6 and 12 weeks). Conclusions: PRP is a better long-term method for relieving pain and improving stiffness and physical function in KOA patients.

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