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Greater pain improvement for PRP than autologous blood in randomized lateral epicondylitis trial
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PRAGUE — A platelet rich plasma injection treatment for patients suffering from lateral epicondylitis for a minimum of 3 months was an effective pain reduction measure, according to Greek investigators who compared results of this therapy to autologous blood injection.
Athanassios Papanikolaou, MD, who presented the team’s findings here at the SICOT XXV Triennial World Congress 2011, explained the purpose of the study was strictly to see whether platelet rich plasma (PRP) offered any distinct advantages for their patients over a “simple, less expensive autologous blood treatment.”
In the 28-patient trial conducted at Hellenic Red Cross Hospital, in Athens, patients were randomized into two groups of 14 patients each. Under ultrasound guidance, the study group received a single, 3 ml PRP injection, while the control group received a single, 3 ml autologous blood injection, Papanikolaou said.
The team used the Biomet GPS III system to prepare the PRP material and took other steps to ensure the PRP concentration was sufficient.
Two blinded assessors on the team rated both groups’ results via the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and Liverpool elbow scores for function at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.
In the PRP group, VAS scores tended to be higher than in the control group, however, “the difference was only statistically significant at 6 weeks,” Papanikolaou noted. At the 6-week follow-up mean VAS scores improved 3.8 points in the study group vs. 2.5 points in the controls.
Concerning the Liverpool scores, they were also improved in both groups, but the study group did slightly better.
“The only complication was local pain that gradually subsided at the site of the injection. This was seen in most patients in the PRP group (9 of 14),” Papanikolaou said.
Reference:
- Papanikolaou A, Thanassas C, Papadimitriou G, et al. Chronic lateral elbow epicondylitis treated with either platelet rich plasma or autologous whole blood. A randomized controlled clinical trial. Paper #29518. Presented at the SICOT XXV Triennial World Congress 2011. Sept. 6-9. Prague.
- Disclosure: Papanikolaou has no relevant financial disclosures.
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