Introduction: Any synovial joint may be affected, but the most severe degeneration occurs in joints subjected to greatest compression.The disease is twice as prevalent in the obese and mainly affects the weight bearing joints, such as lower spine, knee and hip joints. Methodology: Our study was a prospective randomised double blinded comparative study between use of autologous mesenchymal stem cells with platelet rich plasma (PRP) and platelet rich plasma alone in early osteoarthritis knee. A total no. of 32 patients were studied and they were randomised into two groups group 1 mesenchymal stem cells with platelet rich plasma and group 2 platelet rich plasma alone by computer generated algrorithm table each group had 16 patients. Results: Mean cartilage thickness group1 at final followup right side 4.0619 (SD±0.38456) and left side 3.8469 (SD±0.4843) and group 2 3.772 right side (SD±0.3307) and left was 3.660 (SD±0.2761) and both groups are statistically significant with p value 0.030 for right side and 0.001 for left side. Conclusion: The probable mechanism involved was due to paracrine effects and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell enhanced with platelet rich plasma.

Keywords: Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Platelet Rich Plasma; Osteoarthritis.