Evaluating the Efficacy of Intra-articular Injections of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and its Impact on Inflammatory Cytokines, Disease Activity and Quality of Life

Background: Among rheumatoid arthritis patients (RA), general disease activity is well regulated by disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medications (DMARDS), but sometimes local inflammation still persists among a few joints. Adjuvant modern molecular interventions as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) with a suggested down regulating effect on inflammatory mediators has a proven effect in the management of RA. We aim to evaluate the therapeutic effect of intra-articular PRP versus steroid in RA patients and their impact on inflammatory cytokines IL1B, TNF α, local joint inflammation, disease activity and quality of life (QL). Methods: Open-labeled parallel randomized control clinical trial was carried out on 60 RA patients randomly divided into 2 groups, Group 1: included 30 patients received 3 intra-articular injections of PRP at a monthly interval, Group 2: included 30 patients received single intra-articular injection of steroid. They were subjected to clinical, laboratory, serum IL1B and TNF α assessment at baseline and at 3, and 6 months post injection. Results: Patients of both groups showed improvements in their scores of evaluating tools at 3months post injection and this improvement was persistent in the PRP group up to 6 months post injection while it was continued only for 3 months in the steroid group. Conclusion: PRP is a safe, effective and useful therapy in treating RA patients who had an insufficient response and persistent pain and inflammation in just one or two joints through its down regulating effect on inflammatory cytokines IL1B, TNF α with subsequent improvement of local joint inflammation, disease activity and QL.