Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33111611›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of international medical research2020

Role of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis.

Haijiang Ren, Shouwei Zhang, Xuejie Wang, Zehui Li, Wenlai Guo

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of international medical research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Spin and reporting bias in the use of platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Haijiang RenSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
Shouwei ZhangSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
Xuejie WangDepartment of Hand Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
Zehui LiDepartment of Hand Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.
Wenlai GuoDepartment of Hand Surgery, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3494-9076
Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University · CNNortheast Normal University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe clinical efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of osteoarthritis remains controversial. In this paper, we evaluated the clinical efficacy of PRP in the treatment of osteoarthritis using meta-analysis, providing evidence for the selection of clinical treatment options.

methodsWe performed a computer-based search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases to retrieve articles using the search terms "platelet-rich plasma", "osteoarthrosis", and "knee joint". Quality evaluation and data extraction were performed. The combined effect was assessed using RevMan 5.3 software.

resultsFive randomized controlled trials, involving 320 patients, were included in this study. No significant differences were observed in the International Knee Documentation Committee score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, or the absolute value of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score between the experimental and control groups. The absolute value of the VAS score and change in the WOMAC score were significantly decreased and patient satisfaction was increased in the experimental group, as compared with the control group.

conclusionThe findings of this meta-analysis suggest that intra-articular injection of PRP is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis that can reduce post-operative pain, improve locomotor function, and increase patient satisfaction.

Indexed as

Osteoarthritis, KneePlatelet-Rich PlasmaHumansHyaluronic AcidInjections, Intra-ArticularKnee JointRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeHyaluronic AcidInternational Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scoreOsteoarthritispatient satisfactionplatelet-rich plasmarandomized controlled trialWestern Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score

Identifiers

PMID33111611
PMCPMC7645400
OpenAlexW3097600158

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.