Abstract
BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral chondromalacia is a degenerative condition of the knee cartilage, leading to significant pain and functional impairment. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment, leveraging its regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP in reducing pain and improving knee function in patients with patellofemoral chondromalacia at the six-month follow-up. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Almoosa Specialist Hospital in Al-Ahsa, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Medical records of 103 patients diagnosed with patellofemoral chondromalacia and treated with PRP were reviewed. Patients aged 18 years or older, diagnosed through clinical examination and imaging, and with a six-month follow-up were included. Data were collected on demographics, symptom duration, Outerbridge grade, and pre- and post-treatment scores on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS). Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 32.86±9.54 years. A total of 80 out of 103 participants (77.7%) were male. PRP treatment significantly reduced VAS scores from 6.42±2.52 to 1.19±1.73 (p<0.001) and improved AKPS scores from 81.17±11.71 to 89.96±7.21 (p<0.001) after six months. While 98.1% of patients showed improvement in VAS scores, 99% demonstrated enhanced AKPS scores. Age significantly influenced outcomes, with older patients showing greater functional improvement. However, the Outerbridge grade remained unchanged across the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: PRP injections were associated with a significant reduction in pain and improvement in knee function in patients with patellofemoral chondromalacia, particularly in middle-aged and older populations. Despite significant symptomatic relief, no structural changes in cartilage were observed over six months, as the Outerbridge grade remained unchanged in all patients (mean 2.30±0.79 before and after treatment; p=1.000). These findings support further investigation into the use of PRP as a non-surgical treatment option, warranting additional research to assess its long-term effects and comparative efficacy.