Editorial Commentary: Platelet-Rich Plasma and Hyaluronic Acid Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis Are Both Cost Effective

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis is associated with an annual cost to society exceeding US$27 billion. Value-based treatment is an important consideration, and cost-benefit analyses are crucial to determine the benefits to both patients and society. The quality-adjusted life year (QALY) is a generic measure of burden including both quality and quantity. Recent studies have suggested that intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis and comparable to hyaluronic acid (HA). Although the costs (dollars) per QALY were higher for PRP ($8,635) than for HA ($5,331), PRP was more cost effective at 1 year and was associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $12,628 QALY. Similarly, the utility value (proportion of QALY compared with perfect health) of PRP was higher by 0.11 QALY: 0.69 versus 0.58.