Medicina Translacional
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Abstrato

Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Frozen Shoulder: Efficacy in Pain Reduction and Shoulder Function Improvement

Sabih Ahmed

Background: Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. The therapeutic potential of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has been increasingly recognized in various orthopedic conditions, yet its specific role in treating frozen shoulder remains underexplored. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of PRP injections in improving outcomes for frozen shoulder patients.

Method: In this randomized controlled trial, 200 patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder were enlisted. They were evenly allocated into two cohorts: one receiving intra-articular PRP injections and a control group administered with saline injections. Pain intensity was gauged using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), while shoulder mobility metrics were determined through the Range of Motion (ROM) evaluation. Assessments were conducted at baseline, followed by checks at intervals of 1, 3 and 6 months. Data interpretation employed the t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).

Result: By the 6-month mark, patients in the PRP group demonstrated a pronounced reduction in VAS scores (average decrement of 4.8) relative to the saline group (average decrement of 1.3). Additionally, the PRP recipients registered substantial enhancements in ROM, particularly in motions of abduction and external rotation, outperforming the control by approximately 60%.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that PRP injections significantly outpace saline in mitigating pain and enhancing shoulder functionality in frozen shoulder cases. Hence, PRP emerges as a potential primary non-operative treatment for adhesive capsulitis.