EFFECTS OF PLATELET-RICH PLASMA AND OZONE THERAPY ON PAIN AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RETROSPECTIVE TRIAL

<strong>Objective:</strong> There are many methods for treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, especially among conservative treatments, intra articular injection methods have not been shown to be superior to each other. In our study, we compared the effects of ozone therapy and platelet-rich plasma on pain and functionality. <strong>Material and Methods: </strong>This retrospective clinical study included patients aged 30-70 years who received ozone and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Both groups received 3 sessions of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection. The demographic characteristics of the patients, such as age and gender, were recorded. Pain was assessed with a numerical rating scale (NRS) before and 3 months after treatment, functionality with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and quality of life with the Short Form-12 (SF-12). <strong>Results:</strong> The mean age of the 54 patients included in the study was 58.53±8.25 years. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age, gender, pre-treatment NRS, WOMAC, and SF-12 values. There were significant differences in the NRS, WOMAC, and SF-12 values in both ozone and PRP groups after treatment compared to before treatment. However, this difference was not found to be significant between the groups. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Both PRP and ozone therapy are effective short term treatments for KOA. There is no evidence that one is more effective than the other.