Riassunto dello studio

Forty patients with radiographically confirmed knee osteoarthritis (OA) were randomized to receive intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (n=20) or intra-articular (IA) corticosteroid (n=20). The primary outcome of interest was knee pain/function by WOMAC; secondary outcomes included Lequesne index. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months. Overall, the results showed statistically significant between-group differences at 1, 3, and 6 months for both WOMAC (p=0.011, 0.026, 0.002) and Lequesne (all p<0.005). By the reported group means (lower scores conventionally better), corticosteroid had lower WOMAC and Lequesne at all follow-ups; however, the authors concluded PRP provided greater improvement in pain, stiffness, and function over the short term. These findings suggest potential benefit of PRP, but interpretation is tempered by apparent inconsistencies between tabulated means and the narrative conclusion.