Results show PRP may be useful as first-line plantar fasciitis treatment

Kevin Willits

TORONTO — Autologous conditioned platelet-rich plasma or corticosteroids injected one time in patients with plantar fasciitis were associated with nearly the same amount of improvement in plantar fasciitis pain and symptoms, according to results of a randomized trial presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting.

Kevin Willits, MD, FRCS, who presented the findings, said 63 patients received Autologous Conditioned Plasma or ACP (Arthrex), which he described as an office-based platelet-rich plasma treatment, and 62 patients received corticosteroids treatment. Both treatments were injected in an identical manner. The final follow-up took place 1 year after treatment.

“The majority of subjects improved. There was no statistically significant difference between ACP and corticosteroid injection in the treatment of plantar fasciitis,” Willits said.

Willits and his colleagues used the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score for the primary outcome measure and they found no statistically differences in the scores in either treatment group at any time between baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year, Willits noted. Results of the SF-12 pain score with follow-up were similar to those of the AOFAS score, according to Willits.

The patients were also evaluated with the plantar fasciitis pain disability scale. “There is an improvement in the score as you move from baseline in time to 1 year, but there is not much difference between the two groups,” Willits said.

He said in his conclusion, “Given the biologic potential and relatively low side-effect profile, further research is certainly warranted.” – by Susan M. Rapp

Reference:

Willits K, et al. Paper #114. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 20-23, 2017; Toronto.

Disclosure: Willits reports the study was funded by Arthrex.