Study examines corticosteroids vs. PRP treatment for rotator cuff injuries
Results published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery showed corticosteroid injections have better short-term efficacy, while platelet-rich plasma injections have better long-term efficacy for patients with rotator cuff injuries.
Researchers used the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases to perform a systematic review of nine randomized control trials (RCTs) that compared outcomes of corticosteroids vs. PRP for 469 patients with rotator cuff injuries.
Researchers compared Constant, simple shoulder test (SST) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores between the corticosteroid (n = 233) and PRP (n = 236) groups at short-term, midterm and long-term follow-up. According to the study, follow-ups ranged from 3 weeks to 6 months after treatment.
Overall, no differences were found between the corticosteroid and PRP groups at midterm follow-up. Researchers noted the corticosteroid group had improved Constant (mean difference [MD] = –5.08), SST (MD = –0.97) and ASES (MD = –6.67) scores compared with the PRP group at short-term follow-up. However, they found the PRP group had improved recovery of SST (MD = 1.21) and ASES (MD = 6.96) scores compared with the corticosteroid group at long-term follow-up. There were no clinically significant differences in VAS pain scores at any follow-up timepoint between the groups.
“The PRP group showed a beneficial trend, although both groups showed anti-inflammatory effects,” the researchers wrote in the study. “PRP may be more beneficial for long-term recovery because it promotes tendon healing without causing side effects,” they concluded.
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