Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of platelet-rich plasma injection with those of
dry needling on shoulder pain and function in patients with rotator cuff disease.
DESIGN: A single-centre, prospective, randomized,
double-blinded, controlled
study. SETTING: University rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-nine
patients with a supraspinatus tendon lesion (tendinosis or a partial tear less
than 1.0 cm, but not a complete tear) who met the inclusion criteria recruited
between June 2010 and February 2011. INTERVENTION: Two dry needling procedures in
the control group and two platelet-rich plasma injections in the experimental
group were applied to the affected shoulder at four-week intervals using
ultrasound guidance. MEASUREMENTS: The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index,
passive range of motion of the shoulder, a physician global rating scale at the
six-month follow-up, adverse effects monitoring and an ultrasound measurement
were used as outcome measures. RESULTS: The clinical effect of the platelet-rich
plasma injection was superior to the dry needling from six weeks to six months
after initial injection (P < 0.05).
At six months the mean Shoulder Pain and
Disability Index was 17.7 +/- 3.7 in the platelet-rich plasma group versus 29.5
+/- 3.8 in the dry needling group (P < 0.05). No severe adverse effects were
observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous platelet-rich plasma injections
lead to a progressive reduction in the pain and disability when compared to dry
needling. This benefit is certainly still present at six months after treatment.
These findings suggest that treatment with platelet-rich plasma injections is
safe and useful for rotator cuff disease.

Langue : ANGLAIS