A study compared the cost-effectiveness of a series of three intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections versus hyaluronic acid (HA) viscosupplementation to treat symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Level one outcome data on PRP or HA injections in symptomatic knee OA patients through 2015 were used to collect health utility values. Costs were calculated using typical charges incurred by symptomatic knee OA patients treated at a large private orthopedic practice with a series of either PRP or HA injections. The health utility values and costs were the basis for an expected-value decision analysis model.

Per the model, the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of a series of PRP injections was $8,635.23/QALY compared with $5,331.75/QALY for a series of HA injections. While the series of PRP injections had a higher initial cost than the HA injections seriesa $1,433.67 differencethe PRP injections series was more effective, yielding a higher utility value, compared with the HA injections series at one year (0.69 vs. 0.58, respectively; P=0.0062). Using PRP injections instead of HA injections was associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $12,628.15/QALY.

While a series of either PRP ($8,635.23/QALY) or HA ($5,331.75/QALY) injections for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis would be considered cost-effective (cost/QALY <$50,000), PRP injections were not more cost-effective than HA. However, PRP was significantly more effective at one year, and being associated with an Institute for Clinical and Economic Review of $12,628.15/QALY when compared with HA, a series of PRP injections should be considered a reasonable and acceptable alternative to HA injections for the treatment of symptomatic knee OA, the authors concluded.

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PRP versus Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Knee OA: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis - DocWire News