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Platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroid: a randomized controlled trial on tennis elbow patients resistant to nonsurgical treatments
Sayadi, S., Shahbazi, P., Najafi, A., Ochi, F., Jafarabady, K., Rezaei, M. M., Azarsina, S.
Annals of medicine and surgery (2012). 2023;85(9):4385-4388
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some studies on tennis elbow indicate corticosteroid (CS) effectiveness in the short term, according to the role of race, this study evaluates the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) compared with CS for a more cost-effective treatment. METHODS This randomized controlled trial included 30 positive-resisted wrist extension patients with a minimum five visual analog scale (VAS) pain score. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups via computer-generated randomization and were matched for baseline and clinical characteristics. Cases received either 40 mg of prednisolone acetate or 2 ml of PRP, followed for 1 month. VAS and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores were the primary outcomes. RESULTS The median VAS and the mean DASH scores had a statistically significant difference in the PRP and CS groups before and after injection (P<0.001).The mean DASH difference between preinjection and follow-up time in the PRP and CS groups was 59.72±14.17 and 43.16±10.87, respectively, with a mean difference of 16.55 (95% CI 7.10-26.00) and a significant difference (P=0.001).The mean VAS pain score difference in preinjection and follow-up time had a statistically significant difference between the PRP and CS groups (P=0.026), and the mean VAS pain score difference in the CS group was 6.46±1.50 and 7.73±0.96 in the PRP group. CONCLUSION In conclusion, larger studies with parallel groups and more diverse CS doses and types with baseline matching are needed to confirm the short-term benefits of PRP. Investigating the effects of different CS doses using ultrasound techniques is recommended.