RT Journal Article T1 Intra-Articular Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Hyaluronic Acid in the Treatment of Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial in the Context of the Spanish National Health Care System. A1 Montañez-Heredia, Elvira A1 Irizar, Sofia A1 Huertas, Pedro J A1 Otero, Esperanza A1 Del Valle, Marta A1 Prat, Isidro A1 Diaz-Gallardo, Macarena S A1 Peran, Macarena A1 Marchal, Juan A A1 Hernandez-Lamas, Maria del Carmen K1 clinical trial K1 hyaluronic acid K1 knee osteoarthritis K1 platelet-rich plasma AB Intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been established as a suitable treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Here, we present a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, conducted in a public Hospital of the Spanish National Health Care System, to evaluate the efficacy of injecting autologous PRP versus hyaluronic acid (HA) in knee osteoarthritis. PRP was manufactured in Malaga's Regional Blood Center (Spain). Patients that met the eligibility criteria were randomized into a PRP group or a HA group. Pain and functional improvements were assessed pre- and post-treatment (three and six months follow-up) using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcome System (KOOS) scale and the European Quality of Life scale (EUROQOL). Both groups presented pain reduction at six months. The VAS scores for the PRP group improved by at least 50% from their initial value, particularly at three months following the final infiltration, with results resembling those of the HA group at six months. PRP was more effective in patients with lower osteoarthritis grades. Both treatments improved pain in knee osteoarthritis patients without statistically significant differences between them. However, PRP injection was proved to improve pain three months after the final infiltration and to be more effective in lower osteoarthritis grades. PB MDPI AG YR 2016 FD 2016-06-23 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/10247 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/10247 LA en NO Montañez-Heredia E, Irízar S, Huertas PJ, Otero E, Del Valle M, Prat I, et al. Intra-Articular Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus Hyaluronic Acid in the Treatment of Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial in the Context of the Spanish National Health Care System. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Jul 2;17(7):1064. DS RISalud RD Apr 19, 2025