Assessment of Studies on the Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Shoulder Tendinopathy: A Review Article



Bagheri N¹ ; Ghiasi M² ; Pestehei K² Show Affiliations
Source: Tehran University Medical Journal Published:2024

Abstract

Tendon ruptures may occur as a result of acute injuries or degenerative changes in the tendons caused by aging, excessive and long-term use of the shoulders, and sudden wear and tear. This tear may be partial or completely separate the tendon from its attachment to the bone. Rotator cuff tendinopathy of the shoulder is one of the common causes in patients that affect the daily performance and quality of life. Tendinopathy problems are one of the most common problems of people who refer to medical centers, and in some people, improvement is very important because of their job position. Platelet-rich plasma has received attention due to having growth factors involved in tissue repair in tendinopathy patients. This review study examined the clinical effect of platelet-rich plasma injection in rotator cuff tendinopathy, as well as other studies comparing it with corticosteroids. A literature search was conducted in various scientific databases to obtain articles up to 2022 examining the clinical effects of PRP injection on tendinopathy. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is one of the products derived from blood that contains a greater number of physiological platelets. PRP contains a large amount of growth factors such as TGF-β, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), which play an important role in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, chemotaxis and angiogenesis. These growth factors are significantly upregulated following tendon injury and are active at different stages of the healing process. Platelet-rich plasma is an autologous source of growth factors and has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of tendinopathy and osteoarthritis. PRP injection can be recommended as a suitable and desirable method in tendinopathy and rotator cuff tear patients, especially in adults, and can be substituted for corticosteroids. PRP is a minimally invasive treatment method that is used to treat muscle diseases and tendon injuries. In this method, blood is taken from the person, and after that, the components of the blood are separated during a process, and the platelet-enriched plasma is re-injected into the muscles and tendons of the shoulder. Copyright © 2024 Bagheri et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.