title: Effects of platelet-rich plasma on lateral epicondylitis of the elbow: prospective randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) infiltration in patients with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow, through analysis of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow were prospectively randomized and evaluated after receiving infiltration of three milliliters of PRP, or 0.5% neocaine, or dexamethasone. For the scoring process, the patients were asked to fill out the DASH and PRTEE questionnaires on three occasions: on the day of infiltration and 90 and 180 days afterwards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Around 81.7% of the patients who underwent the treatment presented some improvement of the symptoms. The statistical tests showed that there was evidence that the cure rate was unrelated to the substance applied (p = 0.62). There was also intersection between the confidence intervals of each group, thus demonstrating that the proportions of patients whose symptoms improved were similar in all the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At a significance level of 5%, there was no evidence that one treatment was more effective than another, when assessed using the DASH and PRTEE questionnaires.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evandro Pereira
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Palacio
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Ramos
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Schiavetti
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maiara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanematsu
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago Moreno
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Ryuiti
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Mizobuchi
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Antônio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Galbiatti
keywords: Platelet-rich plasma; Tendinopathy; Tennis elbow