Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this review is to determine the effectiveness and utility of alternative knee osteoarthritis treatments in order to assess their clinical applications compared to traditional NSAID and corticosteroid injection therapy. Methods: We analyzed 23 randomized control trials, systematic reviews, and meta analyses to compare the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid (HA), plasma rich protein (PRP) injections, and mesenchymal stem (MSC) cell injections. The individuals used in this study were over 18 years old, had moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis, and had failed at least 1 form of conservative treatment. Quantitative (imaging studies and ROM testing) and qualitative results (pain and quality of life surveys) were analyzed in order to determine the effectiveness of treatment in these individuals. Results: PRP and MSC injections displayed minor improvement in knee cartilage and patient pain questionnaires, while HA was found to only provide benefit when combined with other therapies. Conclusion: Although each method is safe and has been shown to provide benefits in certain circumstances, it is still unclear how much of a benefit these alternative treatments can provide due to the inconsistencies in formulation and timelines between treatments in the studies. More research is needed to understand the efficacy of these alternative treatments.
Keywords: plasma rich protein, PRP, hyaluronic acid, HA, mesenchymal stem cell, MSC, knee osteoarthritis treatment
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A New Horizon on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review of Alternative Treatment Modalities
Purpose: The purpose of this review is to determine the effectiveness and utility of alternative knee osteoarthritis treatments in order to assess their clinical applications compared to traditional NSAID and corticosteroid injection therapy. Methods: We analyzed 23 randomized control trials, systematic reviews, and meta analyses to compare the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid (HA), plasma rich protein (PRP) injections, and mesenchymal stem (MSC) cell injections. The individuals used in this study were over 18 years old, had moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis, and had failed at least 1 form of conservative treatment. Quantitative (imaging studies and ROM testing) and qualitative results (pain and quality of life surveys) were analyzed in order to determine the effectiveness of treatment in these individuals. Results: PRP and MSC injections displayed minor improvement in knee cartilage and patient pain questionnaires, while HA was found to only provide benefit when combined with other therapies. Conclusion: Although each method is safe and has been shown to provide benefits in certain circumstances, it is still unclear how much of a benefit these alternative treatments can provide due to the inconsistencies in formulation and timelines between treatments in the studies. More research is needed to understand the efficacy of these alternative treatments.
Keywords: plasma rich protein, PRP, hyaluronic acid, HA, mesenchymal stem cell, MSC, knee osteoarthritis treatment