Study of the short term effects of local platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection versus autologous blood injection in patients with lateral epicondylitis

Chronic lateral elbow epicondylitis known as tennis elbow is an angiofibrolastic tendinosis of the wrist extensors'' origin. Healing of this lesion is reported with the use of autologous blood and PRP. The aim of this study was to compare the short term effects of PRP versus autologous whole blood local injection in patients with chronic tennis elbow. Forty-five patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis were randomly divided into two groups. Group one was treated with a single 2 mL injection of autologous PRP and group two with 2 mL of autologous blood. Tennis elbow strap، stretching and strengthening exercises were administered for both groups during the 2 month follow up. Pain and functional improvements were assessed using visual analog scale (VAS)، Mayo score (Modified Mayo clinic performance index for the elbow)، and Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) at the 0، 4th، and 8th weeks. All pain variables including VAS، PPT، and Mayo scores were improved significantly in both groups 4 weeks after injection. No statistically significant difference was noted between the groups regarding pain scores in the 4 week follow up examination. At the 8th week reevaluations،VAS and Mayo scores improved significantly only in the PRP group. The whole blood group showed clinical improvement. PRP and autologous whole blood injections are both effective methods to treat chronic lateral epicondylitis. Regarding the pain reduction and functional improvement، the PRP treatment seems to be more effective and superior to autologous blood in the short term.