title: Intra-Articular Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Hyaluronic Acid in the Treatment of Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial in the Context of the Spanish National Health Care System.
abstract: Intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been established as a suitable treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Here, we present a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, conducted in a public Hospital of the Spanish National Health Care System, to evaluate the efficacy of injecting autologous PRP versus hyaluronic acid (HA) in knee osteoarthritis. PRP was manufactured in Malaga's Regional Blood Center (Spain). Patients that met the eligibility criteria were randomized into a PRP group or a HA group. Pain and functional improvements were assessed pre- and post-treatment (three and six months follow-up) using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome System (KOOS) scale and the European Quality of Life scale (EUROQOL). Both groups presented pain reduction at six months. The VAS scores for the PRP group improved by at least 50% from their initial value, particularly at three months following the final infiltration, with results resembling those of the HA group at six months. PRP was more effective in patients with lower osteoarthritis grades. Both treatments improved pain in knee osteoarthritis patients without statistically significant differences between them. However, PRP injection was proved to improve pain three months after the final infiltration and to be more effective in lower osteoarthritis grades.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, M&#225;laga E-29010, Spain. elvira0511@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montañez-Heredia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, M&#225;laga E-29010, Spain. sofiairizar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irízar
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, M&#225;laga E-29010, Spain. pedrojhuertascot@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Huertas
authors.affiliation: Department of Anestesiology. Pain's Treatment Unit. Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, M&#225;lagaE-29010, Spain. espeotero@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.affiliation: Department of Anestesiology. Pain's Treatment Unit. Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, M&#225;lagaE-29010, Spain. martadelvalle75@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Valle
authors.affiliation: M&#225;laga Tissue Bank, Regional Blood Center, M&#225;laga E-29009, Spain. isidro.prat.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es.
authors.forename: Isidro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.affiliation: M&#225;laga Tissue Bank, Regional Blood Center, M&#225;laga E-29009, Spain. macarenas.diaz.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es.
authors.forename: Macarena S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Díaz-Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Ja&#233;n, Ja&#233;n E-23071, Spain. mperan@ujaen.es.|Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain. mperan@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: Macarena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perán
authors.affiliation: Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain. jmarchal@ugr.es.|Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada E-18016, Spain. jmarchal@ugr.es.|Biosanitary Institute of Granada (ibs. GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, Granada, Granada E-18016, Spain. jmarchal@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.affiliation: M&#225;laga Tissue Bank, Regional Blood Center, M&#225;laga E-29009, Spain. carmen.hernandez.lamas.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es.
authors.forename: María Del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Lamas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: clinical trial; hyaluronic acid; knee osteoarthritis; platelet-rich plasma