title: Platelet-rich plasma in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to appraise the retear rate and clinical outcomes of platelet-rich plasma use in patients undergoing arthroscopic full-thickness rotator cuff repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE databases for randomized controlled trials comparing the outcomes of arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery with or without the use of platelet-rich plasma. Methodological quality was assessed by the Detsky quality scale. When there was no high heterogeneity, we used a fixed-effects model. Dichotomous variables were presented as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and continuous data were measured as mean differences with 95% CIs. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the quality of evidence for each individual outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight randomized controlled trials were included, with the sample size ranging from 28 to 88. Overall methodological quality was high. Fixed-effects analysis showed that differences were not significant between the 2 groups in retear rate (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.70 to 1.25; P = .66), Constant score (mean difference, 1.12; 95% CI, -1.38 to 3.61; P = .38), and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score (mean difference, -0.68; 95% CI, -2.00 to 0.65; P = .32). The strength of GRADE evidence was categorized respectively as low for retear, moderate for Constant score, and low for UCLA shoulder score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis does not support the use of platelet-rich plasma in the arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears over repairs without platelet-rich plasma because of similar retear rates and clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level II, meta-analysis of Level I and II randomized controlled trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: orthopaedic@163.com.
authors.forename: Jia-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, First People's Hospital of Jingdezhen City, Jingdezhen, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Zeng-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000601:surgery*; D000070636:Rotator Cuff Injuries; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing