1.
The effects of inclusion of minimal-dose corticosteroid in autologous whole blood and dextrose injection for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis
Lee SH, Choi HH, Chang MC
Journal of back and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. 2021
Abstract
BACKGOUND Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders that causes pain. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effect of the inclusion of a minimal dose of corticosteroid in a solution comprising autologous whole blood (AWB), 20% dextrose, and 2% lidocaine for treating LE. METHODS In this randomized prospective trial LE patients were allocated to the CS+ group (n= 70; solution comprising 1 mL AWB, 1 mL 20% dextrose, 0.4 mL 2% lidocaine, and 0.1 mL (0.4 mg) dexamethasone palmitate; injected into the common wrist extensor tendon) or the CS- group (n= 70; same solution as above but without dexamethasone palmitate). Five injections were administered at monthly intervals. At each visit, pain intensity was evaluated using the numeric rating scale (NRS), and grip strength was measured using a hand-grip dynamometer. RESULTS In the CS+ and CS- groups, 1 and 10 patients dropped out, respectively. In both groups, the NRS scores at each evaluation were significantly lower than the pretreatment scores. The NRS scores from pretreatment to the second and third visits were significantly lower in the CS+ group than those in the CS- group. However, at the fourth and fifth visits, and 6 months after the last injection (the sixth visit), the degree of pain reduction between the groups was not significantly different. Grip strength increased significantly over time in both groups. At each evaluation, grip strength was significantly higher than that at the pretreatment stage. However, the degree of increase was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS The inclusion of a minimal dose of corticosteroid in the AWB and 20% dextrose injection can reduce pain, especially during early treatment.
2.
Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment to Prevent Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Lee DH, Cho SY, Yang SB, Lee HM, Shin HS, Lee SH, Koh JS, Kwon S, Jung WS, Moon SK, et al
Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 2020
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in preventing cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and explore its underlying mechanism. Design: A randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Setting/Location: Subjects were recruited from Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Seoul, Korea Subjects: A total of 50 patients admitted with acute SAH. Interventions: The study group received acupuncture treatments (nā=ā25), while the control group underwent mock transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and sham acupuncture (nā=ā25) six times/week for 2 weeks. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of delayed ischemic neurologic deficit (DIND), and secondary measurements included angiographic vasospasm, vasospasm-related infarction, modified Rankin Scale score, and plasma nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels. Results: The study group treated with acupuncture showed a lower incidence of DIND (9.1%) than the control group (20.8%); however, this difference in the incidence of DIND was not statistically significant. The study group demonstrated better clinical outcomes, especially in functional recovery. Significant alterations in plasma NO and ET-1 levels after the 2-week intervention were observed only in the study group. Conclusions: Their study shows that acupuncture treatment improved functional recovery after SAH and could potentially prevent cerebral vasospasm. These effects could be attributed to the recovery of endothelial dysfunction by acupuncture through modulating the plasma NO and ET-1 levels. The study protocol has been registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02275949).
3.
Therapeutic efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma and polydeoxyribonucleotide on female pattern hair loss
Lee SH, Zheng Z, Kang JS, Kim DY, Oh SH, Cho SB
Wound Repair & Regeneration. 2015;23((1)):30-6.
Abstract
Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) exerts positive therapeutic effects on hair thickness and density in patients with pattern hair loss. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of intra-perifollicular autologous PRP and polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) injections in treating female pattern hair loss (FPHL). Twenty FPHL patients were treated with a single session of PRP injection, followed by 12 sessions of PDRN intra-perifollicular injection, along the scalp at weekly intervals. Additionally, another 20 FPHL patients were treated with 12 sessions of PDRN injection only. Meanwhile, one half of the backs of two rabbits was injected with the PRP preparation, while the other half was injected with phosphate buffered saline as a control. Tissue samples from the rabbits were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Compared with baseline values, patients treated with PRP and PDRN injections exhibited clinical improvement in mean hair counts (23.2+/-15.5%; p<0.001) and mean hair thickness (16.8+/-10.8%; p<0.001). In addition, patients treated with the 12 sessions of intra-perifollicular PDRN injection alone also showed clinical improvement in mean hair counts (17.9+/-13.2%; p<0.001) and mean hair thickness (13.5+/-10.7%; p<0.001). Comparison analyses between the two groups revealed that combined therapy with PRP and PDRN induces greater improvement in hair thickness than treatment with PDRN therapy alone (p=0.031), but not in hair counts (p>0.05). The pilot animal study revealed significant up-regulation of WNT, platelet-derived growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor expression in rabbit skin treated with the PRP preparation, compared with control skin. In conclusion, intra-perifollicular injections of autologous PRP and/or PDRN generate improvements in hair thickness and density in FPHL patients. Copyright © 2014 by the Wound Healing Society.