Clinical and Ultrasonographic Assessment of Effectiveness of Intra-articular Knee Injection Using Platelet Derived Lyophilized Growth Factors in Egyptian Patients With Symptomatic Primary Knee Osteoarthritis

the study included 31 patients with symptomatic primary knee osteoarthritis (KOA) The study group was randomized into an intervention group and a control one. The control group patients were kept on their traditional medications without any intervention, while intervention group patients were instructed to stop using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) at least 1 week before the assessment and throughout the study. All participants were subjected to baseline clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonography assessment. Follow up assessments was conducted after 6 months.

Patients of the intervention group received two doses of intra-articular knee injections of allogenic lyophilized growth factors (L-GFs); one dose at the baseline and the other was after 2 months.

Lyophilized GFs were prepared at the Cairo Medical Centre Blood Bank from allogenic platelet rich plasma to according a previously published patented method.

Prior to usage, reconstitution of the product was done using 1-ml saline and 1-ml lignocaine followed by gentle vial rubbing for 3 minutes. Then, the mixture was kept at ambient temperature for 5 minutes to ensure complete protein re-hydration.

The injection was done under complete guidance of ultrasonography through lateral supra-patellar short axis in-plane approach under sterile aseptic conditions. After injection, local ice application and oral paracetamol were allowed if the patient felt pain. NSAIDs were completely avoided as they may inhibit the desired post-injection inflammatory process. Patients were encouraged to restrict vigorous knee activities for 48 hours.