Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Pain Relief and Functional Improvement in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Study

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive degenerative disease that can severely impair daily activities due to intense pain from cartilage damage.Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an autologous treatment, poses minimal risk of disease transmission.This study evaluates the efficacy of PRP in improving pain relief and functional outcomes in patients with Kellgren-Lawrence Grade I-III knee osteoarthritis.Methods: This 2-year study at a government medical college included 29 patients aged over 35 with primary knee osteoarthritis.After radiographic evaluation and fitness assessment, patients received PRP injections at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks, with follow-ups over 12 months.WOMAC and VAS scores were evaluated, and changes were analyzed using a paired t-test, with p<0.05 deemed significant.Result: We studied 40 knees (29 patients, mean age 55.9 years, 75.9% female) with Kellgren-Lawrence Grades I-III osteoarthritis.WOMAC scores improved significantly from 75.65 pre-injection to 66.23 at 3 weeks and 43.93 at 6 months (p<0.05)but worsened by 12 months.VAS scores dropped from 7.18 to 3.90 at 6 months (p<0.05)but increased to 6.38 by 12 months.No major complications occurred, aside from manageable pain and swelling at the injection site.Conclusion: Platelet-rich plasma injections provided significant pain relief and functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis (Grades I-III) for up to 6 months.However, the effects tended to diminish by 12 months, suggesting the need for further interventions or additional injections for sustained benefits.The procedure was generally safe with minimal complications.