PROJECT PARTNERS
· Flevoziekenhuis – Orthopaedic surgery, Almere, The Netherlands
· OLVG – Sports Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
· Spaarne gasthuis – Orthopaedic surgery, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
· Erasmus Medical Center – Sports Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
· The Bergman Clinics – Sports Medicine, Naarden, The Netherlands
FUNDING
· The study was funded by the Dutch Arthritis Foundation
BACKGROUND
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a potentially efficacious treatment for ankle osteoarthritis (OA), but its use has not been examined in high-quality studies. Systematic reviews show that PRP injections significantly decrease pain and improve function in patients with knee OA. Ankle OA is more common than hip or knee OA in the young active population; with a prevalence of 3.4%. PRP injections in ankle OA are shown to be safe and improve quality of life over time, but no randomized controlled trial has been conducted.
OBJECTIVES
Our randomized controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy of PRP injections for symptom reduction and functional improvement, compared with placebo, in the treatment of ankle (talocrural) OA, using standardized questionnaires and physical examination.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information and current updates on the project we refer you to the published protocol of the study or the website of the Dutch Arthritis Foundation.