Steroid vs. Platelet-Rich Plasma in Ultrasound-Guided Sacroiliac Joint Injection for Chronic Low Back Pain.
Despite widespread use of steroids to treat sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain, their duration of pain reduction is short. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can potentially enhance tissue healing and may have a longer-lasting effect on pain.



To assess the efficacy and safety of PRP compared with methylprednisolone in ultrasound-guided SIJ injection for low back pain.



Prospective randomized open blinded end point (PROBE) study.



Forty patients with chronic low back pain diagnosed with SIJ pathology were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Group S received 1.5 mL of methylprednisolone (40 mg/mL) and 1.5 mL of 2% lidocaine with 0.5 mL of saline, while Group P received 3 mL of leukocyte-free PRP with 0.5 mL of calcium chloride into ultrasound-guided SIJ injection. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ) scores, Short Form (SF-12) Health Survey scores, and complications (if any) were evaluated at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months.



Intensity of pain was significantly lower in Group P at 6 weeks (median [interquartile range (IQR)] = 1 [1 to 1] vs. 3.5 [2 to 5]; P = 0.0004) and 3 months (Median [IQR] = 1 [1 to 3] vs. 5 [3 to 5]; P = 0.0002) as compared to Group S. The efficacy of steroid injection was reduced to only 25% at 3 months in Group S, while it was 90% in Group P. A strong association was observed in patients receiving PRP and showing a reduction of VAS ≥ 50% from baseline when other factors were controlled. The MODQ and SF-12 scores were improved initially for up to 4 weeks but deteriorated further at 3 months in Group S, while both the scores improved gradually for up to 3 months in Group P.



The intra-articular PRP injection is an effective treatment modality in low back pain involving SIJ.
Department of Anaesthesiology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Varun
0000-0003-3390-1043
V
Singla
Department of Anaesthesiology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mohali, Punjab, India.
Yatindra K
YK
Batra
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Neerja
N
Bharti
Department of Orthopaedics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Vijay G
VG
Goni
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Neelam
N
Marwaha
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids; D008775:Methylprednisolone
low back pain; methylprednisolone; platelet-rich plasma; prospective randomized open blinded end point study; sacroiliac joint injection; ultrasound-guided