Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroid injection in treatment of lateral epicondylitis of elbow

Abstract

Introduction: Lateral-epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, is a familiar term used to describe a variety of symptoms surrounding the lateral aspect of the elbow. Lateral epicondylitis is an inflammatory condition that arises at the origin of the common extensor tendon of the forearm at or below the lateral epicondyle. This is one of the most common chronic disabling conditions in the elbow. A variety of treatment options have been proposed for lateral epicondylitis like rest, activity modification, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, counterforce braces, massage, physiotherapy, laser treatment, extracorporeal shockwave treatment, acupuncture, ultrasound treatment, and botulinum toxin type A injection. Previously, the injection of corticosteroids was considered the reference treatment in lateral epicondylitis. Currently, Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is considered an ideal autologous biological component derived from blood. Materials and methods: This was a prospective study of about 160 patients including104 females and 56 males who were diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis for the period from October 2019 to October 2021 in the Department of Orthopaedics at a tertiary care teaching hospital. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of injecting platelet-rich plasma with injecting corticosteroids for treatment for lateral epicondylitis. Results: The comparative study of management of lateral epicondylitis with platelet-rich plasma vs corticosteroid injection shows that a single injection of platelet-rich plasma improves elbow pain and functional activities more efficiently than injecting corticosteroids into the lateral epicondylitis. These improvements were maintained over in our follow-up period without any significant complications.