Trial reportJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2024
The varying clinical effectiveness of single, three and five intraarticular injections of platelet-rich plasma in knee osteoarthritis.
Trial report in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Comparison of Clinical Efficiency and Safety Between Intra-Articular Injection of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Hyaluronic Acid for Hip Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Pain research & management · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European journal of medical research · 2025Pooled it
- Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid versus plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) for knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials : A meta-analysis.Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2025Pooled it
- Comparative efficacy of different doses of platelet-rich plasma injection in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of platelet-rich plasma on pain, function, and graft maturation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective, randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Comparative efficacy of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hydrolyzed type I collagen, and hyaluronic acid in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.Future science OA · 2026Article
- Efficacy of PRP versus hyaluronic acid in obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a retrospective study.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2026Article
- Review
- An Observational Study of Human Umbilical Cord Tissue Allografts for Paraspinal Muscle and Entheses Defects in the Thoracic and Lumbar Regions.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Platelet-rich plasma in the management of musculoskeletal disorders: a narrative review of clinical evidence and practical considerations.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
- Article
- Optimal frequency of platelet-rich plasma injections for managing osteoarthritis: A longitudinal study.Regenerative therapy · 2025Article
- Association of Endothelial Activation and Stress Index with Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and All-cause Mortality in Patients with Osteoarthritis.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2025Article
- Comparative efficacy of single vs. double autologous platelet-rich plasma ovarian injections for improving ovarian response in poor ovarian responders.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The Role of Intraarticular Injections of Hyaluronic Acid and Platelet Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Articular Pain in Knee Osteoarthritis.The archives of bone and joint surgery · 2025Article
- Use of platelet-rich plasma in rheumatic diseases.Rheumatology international · 2024Review
- Systematic Review of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Medical and Surgical Specialties: Quality, Evaluation, Evidence, and Enforcement.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- Effectiveness of Multiple Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Olfactory Dysfunction.Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-facialeArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo investigate the variations in clinical effectiveness among patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis who underwent intra-articular administration of platelet-rich plasma using single, triple, or quintuple injections.
methodsOne hundred twenty patients with grade I-III knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to three groups: PRP1 group, who received a single injection of platelet-rich plasma; PRP3 group, who received three PRP injections one week apart; PRP5 group, who received five PRP injections one week apart. The patients' conditions were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index-VA3.1 version (WOMAC-VA3.1) at baseline and 6, 12, 24, and 52 weeks 52 weeks follow up.
resultsOut of the total participants, 106 patients (30 males and 76 females) completed the study. The primary outcome measure, WOMAC pain score, registered significant improvements across all groups when compared to pre-treatment levels. However, the application of 3 and 5 injections of platelet-rich plasma was substantially more effective than that of a single injection in reducing knee pain and stiffness, as well as enhancing physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. No statistically discernable difference was observed between PRP3 and PRP5 at all follow-up intervals, and there was no discernable difference between 3 and 5 PRP injections either. Mild side effects occurred in all three groups.
conclusionsThe administration of three or five injections of platelet-rich plasma is safe, substantially more effective than single injections, and leads to remarkable clinical improvement by significantly reducing knee pain, improving joint stiffness, and enhancing physical function in patients with grade I-III knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the efficacy of three or five injections. Therefore, we recommend using three injections of PRP in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis of grade I-III.
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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.