Study of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections With Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis for Biomarker Exploration in Young and Old Human Subjects

Summary

This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study with a secondary crossover phase at the end of the initial trial to ensure all subjects receive one PRP injection. The goal is to identify what proteins change in the blood following repeated intraarticular knee PRP injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The objective is to determine the protein changes resulting from a single autologous PRP injection (5 mL) in comparison to a normal saline control. About 60 subjects will take part in this study by two age groups at UCSF into the following arms: Arm A: PRP injection; Arm B: normal saline injection control. The study aims to demonstrate what benefits PRP has on knee osteoarthritis and methods to best achieve biologic effects. Subjects with a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis ages 18-45 and 46-70 years old presenting to a University Based sports medicine clinic will be screened for potential eligibility. Subjects who meet all qualifying requirements will be recruited from UCSF's orthopedic and primary care clinics. Subjects will be on study for up to 26 weeks Screening: up to 14 days Treatment: injection of PRP or normal saline; subjects can cross over at week 12 to a PRP if originally in the control injection group Follow-up: 2 weeks post-baseline injection, 12 weeks postbaseline, (14 weeks if crossover patient), 26 weeks.

Description

Eligibility

Age range

18–70 years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Interventions

• Drug
  Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

  Bloods will be drawn prior to the PRP injection, and repeated at 2 weeks, 12 weeks, possibly 14 weeks for crossover patients follow up visits. Under aseptic technique with a surgical drape/curtain in place to block the study subject's view of the knee. Syringes will be covered with aluminum foil and subjects will have a cover over their eyes, so that neither subjects nor the clinical investigator will know if the injection delivered is PRP injection or a normal saline injection

• Device
  Centrifuge

  The Eppendorf Centrifuge is used to make the PRP. In our opinion, the centrifuge is a nonsignificant risk device. The centrifuge, sterile vials for blood collection and PRP injection syringes do not present a potential risk for serious health, safety or welfare of a subject. It is not needed to support or sustain human life. It is not of substantial importance in diagnosis, curing, mitigating or treating disease for the health, safety and welfare of the patients. There are no potential for serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of a subject.

• Drug
  Control saline injection

  A placebo injection of 6 mL of 0.9% saline will be prepared by the unblinded research assistant in an adjacent room. The syringed will be prepared in a 10 mL syringe and covered with Aluminum foil, such that the investigator performing the injection cannot tell if there is PRP or saline to be injected.

Location