Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: Platelet Rich Plasma Versus Steroid Versus Saline Solution

University of Aarhus

Status: Completed

Conditions: Lateral Epicondylitis

Treatments: Biological: Platelet Rich Plasma; Drug: Triamcinolonacetonid; Procedure: Isotonic Saline Solutions

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01109446

PRP RCT

Details and patient eligibility

About

We wish to address the efficacy and safety of Platelet Rich Plasma (blood platelets), a new treatment for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and compare this new treatment to either injection with steroid or saline solution.

All injections are guided by ultrasonography.

Full description

Plate Rich Plasma (PRP) is a new treatment for tendinopathy. A high concentration of blood platelets is made from the patients own blod, and then injected into the tendon. The idea is that the complex mixture of growth factors within the platelets can stimulate the healing process of the tendon. We want to address the efficacy and safety of this new treatment and compare it to either the best documented treatment, Steroid injection, or to a saline solution. We want to make a randomized controlled trial with 60 participants, 20 in each of the 3 groups, and a 12 months follow up. All injections are guided by ultrasonography.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Duration of tennis elbow > 6 months
• Doppler activity on ultrasonography
• Lateral elbow pain that is maximal over the lateral epicondyle, and increases with pressure on the lateral epicondyle, and resisted dorsiflexion and/or middle finger.

Exclusion criteria

• Inflammatory disease.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Pain in hand or shoulder/neck in the same arm as being treated.
• Anticoagulation treatment.
• Wounds around the elbow.
• Treatment with steroids within the last 3 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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60 participants in 3 patient groups

Platelet Rich Plasma

Experimental group

Treatment:

Biological: Platelet Rich Plasma

Isotonoic Saline Solution

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Procedure: Isotonic Saline Solutions

Steroid (Triamcinolonacetonid)

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Drug: Triamcinolonacetonid