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Safety study of leucoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried platelet-rich plasma in healthy equine joints.
Abstract: Clinical use of blood-derived intra-articular therapies, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have increased in equine athletes due to their proposed disease-modifying effects. Need for a shelf-stable, allogeneic PRP product with known composition for standardized treatment exists. The objective of this study was to compare systemic and local effects of a single intra-articular injection of equine leucoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried PRP (alloPRP) to a placebo control (saline) in normal, healthy equine joints. Unassigned: Twelve healthy horses were randomly assigned to either control (saline) or treatment (alloPRP) ( = 6 horses per group). The study used a blinded 2-period, 2-treatment, 2-joint non-crossover experimental design. Each study period was defined as 1 week, followed by a 2-week washout between study periods. One joint (radiocarpal or tarsocrural joint) was treated and evaluated per study period. Treatment sequence and limbs chosen for treatment were randomized for each horse. Systemic effects were measured at different time points by physical examination, bloodwork (complete blood count and serum biochemistry), and lameness examination (subjective and objective). Local effects to the joint measured at different time points included heat, swelling, joint circumference, and response to passive flexion as well as synovial fluid analysis. Data was analyzed using linear mixed models with significance set at < 0.05. Unassigned: There were no differences between groups for joint swelling ( = 0.40), joint circumference ( = 0.55), heat scores ( = 0.09), or passive flexion ( 0.70) following intra-articular injections. Both subjective and objective lameness scores were no different on any study day for both treatment ( 0.47) and control groups ( 0.31). There were no differences in complete blood count or serum biochemistry values between groups. No difference in synovial fluid TNCC ( = 0.80), TP ( = 0.94), or synovial fluid concentrations of TNFα ( 0.45) and IL-1raP ( 0.18) were observed between groups for each sampled time point (T0 and T7d). Unassigned: The alloPRP formulation was demonstrated to be safe for use in equine joints. Further investigation is necessary for evaluation of clinical efficacy.
Copyright © 2025 Kooy, Constant, Cole and Boone.
Publication Date: 2025-07-14 PubMed ID: 40727274PubMed Central: PMC12301550DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1625431Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examines the safety of using leucoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried platelet-rich plasma (alloPRP) in horse joints, comparing its effects with saline as a control. The results indicate that the alloPRP formulation is safe for use, but its clinical effectiveness needs further exploration.
Study Objective and Methodology
- The primary objective of this research was to assess the systemic and local effects of an injection of equine leucoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried PRP (alloPRP) compared to a placebo control (saline) in healthy horse joints.
- The researchers used a double-blind non-crossover experimental design involving a total of 12 healthy horses. These animals were randomly split into two groups (6 per group) with the first group receiving the alloPRP treatment and the other being administered a control saline solution.
- The study was carried out over two periods of one week each, segregated by a two-week ‘washout’ period. In each period, a joint (either the radiocarpal or tarsocrural joint) was treated and evaluated.
Measurements and Data Analysis
- Both systemic and local effects were measured at various time points, using physical examination, complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and both subjective and objective lameness examinations.
- Local effects on the joint were also measured, which included heat, swelling, joint circumference, synovial fluid analysis, and the response to passive flexion.
- The gathered data was analyzed using linear mixed models and the level of significance set at <0.05.
Results
- Results demonstrated no significant differences between the alloPRP treatment group and the control group in terms of joint swelling, joint circumference, heat scores, passive flexion, or lameness scores on any study day.
- Additionally, there were no observed differences in complete blood count or serum biochemistry values between the groups.
- Even synovial fluid analyses—specifically TNCC, TP, TNFα, and IL-1raP concentrations—showed no distinction between the groups at sampled time points.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that the use of alloPRP was safe in equine joints, despite not showing significant differences when compared to a saline solution.
- However, the team juxtaposed this result with an acknowledgment that further study is needed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of alloPRP treatments.
Cite This Article
APA
Kooy S, Constant J, Cole R, Boone L.
(2025).
Safety study of leucoreduced allogeneic pooled freeze-dried platelet-rich plasma in healthy equine joints.
Front Vet Sci, 12, 1625431.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1625431 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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