title: Effectiveness of Platelet-rich Plasma Injection for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: A Prospective Open-label Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection for rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective open label study with 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants recruited from an outpatient sports medicine clinic had clinically and magnetic resonance image (MRI)-demonstrated RCT refractory to physical therapy and corticosteroid injection. They received one ultrasound-guided injection of 3.0 mL of 1% xylocaine followed by 3.5 mL of PRP at the lesion and surrounding tendon.
  
  
  METHODS
  0-10 visual analog scale (VAS; baseline, 8, 12, and 52 weeks).
  
  
  RESULTS
  functional shoulder tests assessing rotator cuff strength and endurance (at baseline and 8 and 12 weeks), MRI severity (1-5 points [at baseline and 4 and 8 weeks]), and patient satisfaction (52 weeks).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen participants with 19 assessed shoulders reported VAS pain score improvement from 7.5 ± 0.3 points to 0.5 ± 0.3 points by week 12 and 0.4 ± 0.2 (P = .0001) points at week 52. Functional outcomes significantly improved; the largest effect was seen in the external rotation test: 33.5 ± 5.7 seconds to 62.6 ± 7.2 seconds at week 12 (P = .0001). MRI appearance improved by 1 to 3 points in 16 of 18 assessed shoulders. Seventeen participants were "completely satisfied" (12) or "satisfied" (5). One participant was "unsatisfied."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single ultrasound-guided, intralesional injection of PRP resulted in safe, significant, sustained improvement of pain, function, and MRI outcomes in participants with refractory RCT. Randomized multidisciplinary effectiveness trials that add ultrasound and validated clinical outcome measures are needed to further assess PRP for RCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Drexel University College of Medicine; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scarpone
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Family Medicine, Madison, United States.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabago
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Drexel University College of Medicine; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; United States.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Snell
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Division of Sports Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Orthopedic Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, United States.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, United States.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruppert
authors.affiliation: Riverside Sports, Spine, and Fitness Center, Wintersville, Ohio, United States.
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.affiliation: Riverside Sports, Spine, and Fitness Center, Wintersville, Ohio, United States.
authors.forename: Gennie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arbogast
authors.affiliation: Departments of Family Medicine and Orthopedics, Division of Sports Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Images Interpretation Services, Ltd, and Open MRI of Steubenville and Weirton, Lifeline Hospital, Mingo Junction, Ohio, United States.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Balzano
keywords: PRP; Platelet rich plasma; rotator cuff tendinopathy