title: Platelet-rich plasma for androgenetic alopecia: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Androgenetic alopecia is a common condition, with severe attendant psychosocial implications, and for which it is difficult to obtain a satisfactory degree of clinical improvement.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the possible clinical benefit of injecting platelet-derived growth factors into the scalp of patients using a specific autologous blood concentrate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two injections of a leukocyte platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP) with the addition of concentrated plasmatic proteins were administered at baseline and after 3 months (single spin at baseline and double-spin centrifugation at 3 months). Macrophotographs were taken at baseline and after 6 months, and 2 independent evaluators rated them using Jaeschke rating of clinical change.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four consecutive patients were enrolled. Some improvement was seen in all patients by 1 evaluator and in 62 by the other. The mean change in clinical rating was 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9-3.5) and 3.9 (95% CI, 3.5-4.3), and the proportion of patients reaching a clinically important difference was 40.6% and 54.7%, according to the 2 evaluators, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot study may provide preliminary evidence that this treatment may induce some degree of clinical advantage for male- and female-pattern baldness. This may warrant the design of randomized controlled clinical trials to formally test this procedure.
authors.affiliation: *Plastic Surgery and Regenerative Surgery Unit, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy; †Second Clinical Dermatology Unit, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy; ‡Hair Restoration Surgery, Greco Medical Group, Sarasota, Florida; §Health Services Research Unit, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.forename: Desanka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raskovic
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abeni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000628:therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D012535:Scalp; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor