PRP alone, with vitamin C may reduce pain, improve function for partial rotator cuff tears
Key takeaways:
- Both platelet-rich plasma alone or combined with vitamin C were associated with reduced pain at 3-month follow-up.
- Both groups were also associated with improved function at 3-month follow-up.
Published results showed both subacromial injections of platelet-rich plasma alone or combined with vitamin C may be effective treatment options for patients with partial-thickness rotator cuff tears.
“However, contrary to expectations, the present study did not find a significant difference between the two groups,” Hamid Mirhosseini, MD, PhD, professor at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services in Iran, and colleagues wrote in the study.
Mirhosseini and colleagues randomly assigned 110 patients with partial-thickness rotator cuff tears to undergo subacromial injections of either normal saline and PRP (n = 55) or PRP combined with vitamin C (n = 55). Outcomes measured prior to the injection and 1 month and 3 months after the injection included Constant scores, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores and VAS pain scores.
According to the study, both groups experienced reductions in VAS pain scores at 3-month follow-up with no significant difference between the groups. In addition, results showed ASES scores and Constant scores improved after 3-month follow-up with no significant differences between the groups. Mirhosseini and colleagues also noted Constant scores were the same between groups at 1-month follow-up.
“Future prospective clinical studies should aim to include a wider patient population,
incorporate radiological assessments and extend the follow-up period to offer valuable insights into the long-term effects and durability of the treatment,” Mirhosseini and colleagues wrote in the study. “Conducting studies with these design elements would help to further elucidate the effectiveness of combined vitamin C and PRP injections on tendon healing.”
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