Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is Used to Treat Knee Osteoarthritis, and Higher Platelet Doses May Result in Better Clinical Outcomes
Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrated platelet prepared by centrifuging autologous whole blood.
PRP injection is increasingly being used to treat knee osteoarthritis (OA) and is expected to become a safe and effective treatment option.
Although initial in vitro studies suggest that PRP may act by promoting tissue regeneration, recent research tends to focus on its anti catabolic and immunomodulatory effects, which may help alleviate cartilage degeneration and reduce inflammatory components of pain and dysfunction.
The total amount of PLT=concentration * volume
Platelets are a rich source of growth factors and cytokines, including vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor, which contribute to angiogenesis. In vitro studies have consistently shown that increasing platelet concentration in PRP formulations leads to greater release of these angiogenic factors. The accelerated release of this growth factor stimulates the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of endothelial cells, thereby promoting angiogenesis.
When PRP is used to treat symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, a higher platelet dose may result in better clinical outcomes.
The inconsistent reporting of platelet dosage and other factors remains a limiting factor in explaining and synthesizing the currently available PRP treatments for knee osteoarthritis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies support the crucial role of platelets in angiogenesis and tissue repair.
The inherent differences in PRP preparation methods and the resulting differences in platelet concentration and PRP content are important. PRP can be produced through 1 time or Twice centrifugation methods at different centrifugation speeds, accelerations, and temperatures. Some studies have found that a centrifugal acceleration of 3731g for 8 minutes can achieve the maximum platelet concentration, while others have found that dual centrifugation produces higher levels of platelets and growth factors than single centrifugation. It has been proposed to rotate twice at 200g, 1000g, and 3000g, but there is no consistent conclusion. Mr. Yu, who has been engaged in PRP research for 8 years as Inlucky, believes that 1 time centrifugation will result in higher content and quality of PLT compared to double centrifugation.
The minimum standard for PRP is regulated by the US FDA, which requires a minimum of 250000 platelets per microliter, and some research populations recommend a platelet count of 1 million per microliter. Our Inluck company's PRP can reach a content of 916 * 109 PLT.
Finally high dose concentration is a prerequisite for ensuring the effectiveness of the application. It is necessary to ensure that the platelet count is at least three times that of the patient in order to have clinical therapeutic significance. Local dense tissues such as Achilles tendon can fully meet the treatment requirements. Without sufficient PLT dose, it is often diluted by synovial fluid, which can affect the results. However, each PRP is around 5ml, so it is necessary to prepare 3-5 PRP tubes in advance.
