Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Ankle Arthritis: What's the Latest?

In 2021, Paget et al. published a study in JAMA Network that involved a randomized clinical trial with 100 patients comparing the effectiveness of intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to placebo injections with saline. This trial showed no significant difference between PRP and saline in the treatment of ankle arthritis. 

Same story, different (knee) joint

In a June 2024, Karaborklu et al. published a study in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR) that involved a randomized clinical trial looking at exercise in combination with PRP injection for knee arthritis. The study found that PRP did not improve pain at six months of follow-up in patients with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis compared to exercise alone. Additionally, exercise alone was clinically superior to PRP alone in terms of function and the physical component of health-related quality of life. 

But patients want an injection option, so … 

Current offerings for intra-articular injections most commonly include PRP, hyaluronic acid, and corticosteroids. In their study, Migliorini et al. analyzed data from 30 randomized controlled trials to determine which injection works best. They found intra-articular injections of PRP demonstrated the best overall outcome compared to steroids, hyaluronic acid, and placebo for patients with knee osteoarthrosis at three, six and 12-months of follow-up.