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A recent report showed no benefit for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in ankle arthritis (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 1 2021 and JAMA 2021; 326:1595), but do PRP injections benefit patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA)? In this Australian study, 288 patients (mean age, 62) with mild-to-moderate knee OA were randomized to three weekly intra-articular injections of autologous centrifuged PRP or saline. Patients underwent baseline magnetic resonance imaging and pain assessments; follow-up assessments were completed at 2 and 12 months after treatment.
At 12 months, both groups improved by about 2 points on a validated 0-to-10–point pain scale, which is considered to be a clinically important change. Mean medial tibial cartilage volume loss was si…