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. 2020 Jan 31:2020:8243865.
doi: 10.1155/2020/8243865. eCollection 2020.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Sport-Active Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Limited Return to Sport

Sante Alessandro Altamura  1 , Alessandro Di Martino  1 , Luca Andriolo  1 , Angelo Boffa  1 , Stefano Zaffagnini  1 , Annarita Cenacchi  2 , Maria Stella Zagarella  2 , Giuseppe Filardo  3
Affiliations

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Sport-Active Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Limited Return to Sport

Sante Alessandro Altamura et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate a cohort of sport-active patients suffering from cartilage degeneration and OA, in terms of clinical outcome and return to sport (RTS) after platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injective treatment.

Design: This study included forty-seven sport-active patients ≤50 years old with unilateral symptomatic knee cartilage degeneration or OA. Patients received 3 PRP injections and were prospectively evaluated at baseline and then at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up by IKDC subjective EQ-VAS, and Tegner scores. Furthermore, patients were asked about their RTS, in terms of return to any sport level or to their activity level before symptoms onset.

Results: IKDC subjective score improved significantly at all follow-ups, changing from 59.2 ± 13.6 to 70.6 ± 13 at 12 months and to 76.7 ± 12.5 at 24 months (p < 0.0005). A similar outcome was observed with the EQ-VAS score. Tegner score improved from 3.6 ± 1.4 to 4.8 ± 0.9 at 24 months (p < 0.0005). A similar outcome was observed with the EQ-VAS score. Tegner score improved from 3.6 ± 1.4 to 4.8 ± 0.9 at 24 months (p < 0.0005). A similar outcome was observed with the EQ-VAS score. Tegner score improved from 3.6 ± 1.4 to 4.8 ± 0.9 at 24 months (p < 0.0005). A similar outcome was observed with the EQ-VAS score. Tegner score improved from 3.6 ± 1.4 to 4.8 ± 0.9 at 24 months (.

Conclusions: Sport-active patients affected by knee OA can benefit from PRP injections, with pain and function improvement over time. However, results are less satisfactory in terms of RTS since only half can achieve the same sport level as before the onset of symptoms. Patients undergoing PRP treatment should be made aware of their low chances to go back to high-impact sport activities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
IKDC subjective score at basal level, at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up.
Figure 2
Figure 2
EQ-VAS score at basal level, at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Tegner score at presymptoms and basal pretreatment level, at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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