Factors affecting the features of platelet-rich plasma in patients with knee osteoarthritis

The aim of this study was to present an analysis of platelet-rich plasma obtained from patients with knee osteoarthritis and reveal the factors affecting its features.

A total of 62 patients (mean age: 56.68 ± 7.13 years) with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis were included in this study. Age (years), gender, height (m), weight (kg), body mass index (kg/m2), duration of symptoms, smoking status, smoking index, general health status, and physical activity scores were recorded. Whole blood and platelet-rich plasma cell counts were performed with a hematology analyzer. White blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts were recorded. According to the dose of injected platelets, efficiency of the procedure, purity of platelet-rich plasma, and activation classification, dose of platelets, efficiency of the procedure (platelet recovery rate, %), and purity of the obtained platelet-rich plasma product (relative composition in platelets, %) were calculated. Correlation analysis between the features of platelet-rich plasma and the patient-related variables, including age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, smoking index, presence of other health conditions, physical activity scores, duration of symptoms, and pain levels, was performed.

Dose of injected platelets, efficiency of the procedure, purity of platelet-rich plasma, and activation analysis showed that the dose of injected platelets was 3.25 billion, the efficiency of the process was 77%, and the purity rate of the platelet-rich plasma was 98.4%. Platelet-rich plasma platelet count was correlated with whole blood platelet count (r = 0.81, P < .001), whole blood white blood cell count (r = 0.39, P = .002), smoking status (r = 0.56, P = .03), smoking index (r = -0.63, P = .002), and the presence of hypertension (r = -0.31, P=.04). Platelet-rich plasma white blood cell and purity of platelet-rich plasma were correlated with the smoking status of the patients (r = 0.52, P = .01; r = 0.64, P = .003, respectively).

This study has demonstrated that high dose and very pure platelet-rich plasma with medium efficiency was yielded with this platelet-rich plasma preparation procedure; whole blood platelet count, the presence of hypertension, and the smoking status of patients affect the features of the obtained platelet-rich plasma.

Level IV, Diagnostic Study.