title: Autologous blood injection for treatment of lateral epicondylosis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To appraise existing evidence of autologous blood injection in treating lateral epicondylosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases was performed to identify randomized controlled trials that reported the efficacy of autologous blood injection in treating lateral epicondylosis. The selected studies were subjected to a meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with lateral epicondylosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pain-related measurement in each selected randomized controlled trial was pooled into meta-analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine randomized controlled trials were included in the analysis. The results of the meta-analysis including the pain scores indicated that autologous blood injection is more effective compared with corticosteroid injection (standard mean difference: -0.75; 95% confidence interval: -1.14 to -0.37) but not more effective compared with platelet-rich plasma injection (standard mean difference: 0.09; 95% confidence interval: -0.66 to 0.84). The risk of bias assessment indicated that all the included trials exhibited a moderate to high risk of bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autologous blood injection is more effective than corticosteroid injection but not more effective than platelet-rich plasma injection in treating lateral epicondylosis. However, this evidence is limited by the potential risk of bias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lin-Chuan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsan-Hon
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yao-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Evidence-Based Health Care, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: 10462@s.tmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Hung-Chou
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Autologous blood injection; Lateral epicondylosis; Meta-analysis