Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease that usually occurs in older people and leads to pain and disabilities. OA treatment ranges from drug therapy to surgery. Drug and rehabilitation therapy are preferred over surgery, and, especially, there is a tendency toward compounds causing regenerative changes in the knee joint. In the present study, the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection and corticosteroid injection were examined on the level of pain and function of the knee joint in patients with OA.

Methodology: All patients were included in the study after full filling the inclusion criteria and informed consent. Total 100 patients were included in the study of which all patients having even number in the end of OPD number were given PRP intraarticular injections whereas OPD numbers ending with odd number were given steroid intraarticular injections. Following admission all patients were evaluated and staged with grade 0 to 4 according to Kellgren-Lawrene grading scale and grade 1 to 4 according to Ahlback score. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) was used to evaluate the Patients pre-and post-intraarticular injections. Accord­ingly, patients in the PRP therapy group received 7 mL PRP solution and those in the corticosteroid group received 80 mg methyl-prednisolone mixed with 2ml of plain lignocaine. Using the WOMAC, levels of pain and knee function were evaluated and recorded for each patient immediately prior to the first injection as well as at 6 weeks (immediately prior to the second injection), 3 months (6 weeks after the second injec­tion), and 6 months later. Data collected for both the groups were analysed and compared with each other.

Conclusion: Results of the present study suggested a significant decrease in the overall WOMAC score of patients who undergo either PRP or corticosteroid intraarticular injections. This positive change in the overall WOMAC score led to an improvement in the quality of life of patients with knee OA shortly after the first injection. PRP injection is more effective than corticosteroid injection in the treatment of osteoarthritis knee. Our study has thrown up an interesting choice of treatment modality using Platelet Rich Plasma in the treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis and it has proved efficacious in the observation period of six months.