Consecutive injections of leukocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma are effective in not only mild but also severe knee degeneration

Introduction: How can non-cultured platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy be the ultimate intervention in the treatment of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) -adaptive levels of knee osteoarthritis, as opposed to stem cell therapy that requires culture?

Methods: An intra-articular injection of leukocyte-rich PRP (LR-PRP) was administered to 260 patients every 4 weeks for over four times (mean 5.8 times); they were followed up for a maximum of 24 months. The clinical evaluation used the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analogue scale, and magnetic resonance imaging osteoarthritis knee score-body mass lesions to determine the therapeutic effect using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International responder criteria for osteoarthritis.

Results: Among those administered with LR-PRP, the responder rate was 72.0%, 78.1%, 78.1%, and 77.1% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively.

Conclusions: Our manually prepared LR-PRP was effective following multiple consecutive injections, despite severe degeneration.