Indexing metadata

The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) intraosseous injection in the treatment of patients with knee OA stages II-III.

Methods: The multicenter randomized study involved 40 patients (27 women, 13 men, average age 67.0±7.8 years, BMI 32.7±4.8, duration of disease 17.3±3.7 months) with knee OA of stages II-III according to the Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) classification. Patients of the main (BMAC group) group (n=19) underwent a single intraosseous injection of BMAC, in the comparison group (n = 21) – a PRP injection (PRP group). The results were evaluated after 1, 3, 6, 12 months with the verbal rating scale (VRS), VAS, Leken and WOMAC scales.

Results: Comparison of the results in the groups on the VRS showed that at an earlier time (3 and 6 months), the preferences of patients were in favor of the treatment of BMAC (65% and 55% positive reviews) before PRP (55% and 45% positive reviews), whereas after 12 months the differences were insignificant. Analysis of VAS indicators in patients of both groups indicated a more pronounced decrease in the severity of pain syndrome after BMAC intraosseous injection. The analysis of the Leken scale indicators showed in favor of BMAC throughout the entire observation period, the differences were most pronounced in the first 3 months of observation. The ratio of the values of the WOMAC index in both patients groups indicated statistically significant differences that persisted in all periods of follow-up, the increase in indicators occurred to a lesser extent after the introduction of BMAC compared with PRP.

Conclusions: A single intraosseous BMAC injection has an advantage over a similar PRP injection in terms of pain, knee function and physical activity of patients at all follow-up periods. Both methods of treatment are equally safe.