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<article xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" dtd-version="1.0" article-type="orthopaedics" lang="en">
<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">JOHS</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Journ of Health Scien</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Journal of HealthCare Sciences</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Journ of Health Scien</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">2231-2196</issn>
<issn pub-type="opub">0975-5241</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name>Radiance Research Academy</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">521</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">http://dx.doi.org/10.52533/JOHS.2026.60301</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi-url"/>
<article-categories>
<subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
<subject>Orthopaedics</subject>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Clinical Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Treating Patellofemoral Chondromalacia: Assessing Long-Term Pain Relief and Functional Outcomes in a 1-Year Follow-Up Local Study
</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Hamam</surname>
<given-names>Naif M. Al</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Dayhur</surname>
<given-names>Turki M. Al</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Aldhaif</surname>
<given-names>Ziyad S.</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Alsaif</surname>
<given-names>Hajar E.</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Alhomeni</surname>
<given-names>Nujood A.</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Almulhim</surname>
<given-names>Bashaer I.</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<pub-date pub-type="ppub">
<day>3</day>
<month>03</month>
<year>2026</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>6</volume>
<issue>3</issue>
<fpage>212</fpage>
<lpage>220</lpage>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>This article is copyright of Popeye Publishing, 2009</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2009</copyright-year>
<license license-type="open-access" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
<license-p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) Licence. You may share and adapt the material, but must give appropriate credit to the source, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if changes were made.</license-p>
</license>
</permissions>
<abstract>
<p>Background: Patellofemoral chondromalacia is a common degenerative knee condition that causes anterior knee pain and limits daily activities. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has recently gained attention as a treatment option due to its potential anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of PRP injections in reducing pain and improving knee function in patients with patellofemoral chondromalacia over a one-year follow-up period. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Al-Mosa Specialist Hospital in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia between 2020 and 2022. The study included 103 patients aged 18 years or older who were diagnosed with patellofemoral chondromalacia based on clinical examination and imaging findings.
Methods: a retrospective cohort study including 103 patients aged 18 years or older diagnosed with patellofemoral chondromalacia confirmed by clinical examination and imaging. Patients received PRP injections and were followed up for 12 months. Data were extracted from electronic medical records at Al-Mosa Specialist Hospital in Al-Hassa, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, including demographics, symptom duration, Outerbridge grade, and changes in pain and functional scores measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the anterior knee pain scale (AKPS). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.
Results: the mean age of the patients was 32.86 years (SD = 9.54), with 77.7% of the patients being male. Significant improvements were observed in both VAS and AKPS scores. The mean VAS score decreased from 6.42 (SD = 2.52) before treatment to 0.50 (SD = 0.78) at the one-year follow-up (mean difference = -5.91, 95% CI: -6.34, -5.49; p < 0.001). The mean AKPS score increased from 81.17 (SD = 11.71) to 96.03 (SD = 5.46) (mean difference = 14.93, 95% ci: 13.18, 16.67; p < 0.001). No changes were observed in the Outerbridge grade. Age was significantly associated with greater improvements in VAS and AKPS scores, with older patients showing the most pronounced benefits.
Conclusions: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections were effective in reducing pain and improving knee function in patients with patellofemoral chondromalacia after 12 months. Although symptoms improved, no changes in cartilage structure were observed. PRP appears to be a safe and effective option for symptom relief, but further studies are needed to evaluate its long-term regenerative effects and to compare it with other treatment options.
</p>
</abstract>
<kwd-group>
<kwd>cartilage diseases</kwd>
<kwd> follow-up studies</kwd>
<kwd> pain</kwd>
<kwd> platelet-rich plasma</kwd>
<kwd> retrospective studies</kwd>
</kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
</article>