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. 2025 Jul 29:19476035251355522.
doi: 10.1177/19476035251355522. Online ahead of print.

Intra-articular Injections of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma from Responder Patients for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Trial

Mikel Sánchez  1   2 , Jorge Guadilla  1 , Cristina Jorquera  2 , Daniel Marijuán-Pinel  2 , Jon Mercader-Ruiz  2 , Maider Beitia  2 , Renato Andrade  3   4   5 , João Espregueira-Mendes  3   4   6   7   8 , Sergio González  1 , Jaime Oraa  1 , Leonor López de Dicastillo  1 , Nicolás Fiz  1 , Juan Azofra  1 , Diego Delgado  2
Affiliations

Intra-articular Injections of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma from Responder Patients for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Trial

Mikel Sánchez et al. Cartilage. .

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of allogeneic platelet-rich plasma (PRP) from responder donors to treat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients who showed negative response to autologous PRP.DesignThis pilot feasibility trial included KOA patients who did not respond to previous autologous PRP treatment. They were treated with intra-articular injections of allogeneic PRP from responder donors. Patients filled out Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Lequesne Index at baseline, 2, 6, and 12 months. Blood and PRP from donors and patients were analyzed, and a cell proliferation study was carried out.ResultsOf the 16 patients enrolled, 14 completed the study. KOOS pain subscale and VAS showed a significant increase from baseline to 12 months, and the Lequesne Index to 6 months (P < .005). Six patients (42.9%) showed a Minimal Clinically Important Improvement. No adverse reactions to allogeneic PRP were reported. The platelet number between donors and recipients was similar (P > .05) with a platelet concentration factor of 2.5. Donors were significantly younger than patients (P < .05) and presented higher levels of IGF-1 (P < .05). Cell bioactivity showed no differences between patient and donor PRP (P > .05).ConclusionThe use of allogeneic PRP from donor responders is a feasible and safe treatment for KOA patients who do not respond to autologous PRP. This treatment showed efficacy after 1 year of follow-up, suggesting a valid alternative for these patients, although further research is needed.EU Clinical Trials Register (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/). Registration number: 2021-001267-24.

Keywords: allogenic; growth factors; intra-articular injection; knee osteoarthritis; platelet-rich plasma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

The diagram illustrates a study design comparing the effects of autologous PRP treatments on previous positive and negative responses, with data points at 6 months and 12 months.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of the study design.
“Flowchart illustrates the study progression from enroll to follow-up stages, detailing patient exclusions at each phase up to December analysis.”
Figure 2.
Study flowchart.
Clinical evaluation on KOOS scores A, VAS B index with Lequesne C.
Figure 3.
Clinical evolution scores. KOOS (A), VAS (B), and Lequesne index (C) at baseline, 2, 6, and 12 months after treatment. ADL = function in daily living; sport/rec = function in sport and recreation; QOL = quality of life. *P < .05 with respect to basal level.
Here is a 16-word alt text description for the image: “Line graphs display cell proliferation over 120 hours, comparing control, patients, non-responders, and responders (RLU).”
Figure 4.
Cell proliferation analysis. The viability levels of the cells incubated with PRP from responder donors and non-responder patients (A), and from donors classified according to the generated response (B). RLU = relative light units.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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