Combined PRP and Gel (HA) Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis: Is There Benefit to Inject Both?

Brian Cole, MD and colleagues at Rush Medical Center sought to evaluate the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with hyaluronic acid (HA) injections versus HA injections alone for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

How did the authors perform this study?

Eligible randomized-controlled trials and observational studies directly comparing combined PRP-HA injections with HA injections alone were identified through a literature search. 

What did the authors find?

4 studies comprising 377 patients (PRP-HA: 193, HA: 184) with knee OA ranging from I-IV Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale were included.

Symptomatic patients with knee OA who were injected with a combination of PRP and HA demonstrated greater improvement in pain and function compared with patients who received HA injections only.

Patients were assessed by 3-, 6-, and 12-month visual analog scale scores and 12-month WOMAC physical function and stiffness scores.

In summary, the work of Dr. Cole and colleagues provides encouraging evidence for the use of the combined PRP-HA injections in the management of symptomatic patients with knee OA.

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Author

Dr. Catherine Logan, MD, MBA Catherine Logan, MD, MBA, MSPT, is a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon specializing in complex knee and shoulder surgery at Colorado Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics (COSMO) in Denver, Colorado. As a former physical therapist & trainer, Dr. Logan provides a distinct expertise in sports injury, prevention, and surgical management.