Table 1.

Summary of RCTs

RCT COMPARATORSNO. OF PATIENTSASSESSED USING ...FINAL FOLLOW-UP, MOMEAN CLINICAL OUTCOMESUPERIOR TREATMENTRISK OF BIAS
PRP injection vs saline solution injection140SPADI, VAS, WORC Index1

  • SPADI: 14.6 vs 15.4; P > .05

  • VAS: 0.8 vs 1.0;P > .05

  • WORC Index: 85.6 vs 79.7; P > .05

EqualLow
PRP injection vs exercise therapy142DASH, VAS, WORC Index6

  • DASH: 33.0 vs 26.2*

  • VAS: 4.5 vs. 4.2*

  • WORC Index: 58.7 vs 73.1*

Exercise therapyModerate
PRP injection vs exercise therapy262DASH, VAS12

  • DASH: 35.6 vs 36.4; P = .79

  • VAS: 2.70 vs 2.59;P = .798

EqualModerate
PRP injection vs dry needling330SPADI, VAS6

  • SPADI: PRP injection from 62.3 to 17.7 vs dry needling from 62.8 to 29.5

PRP injection, but both were clinically effectiveModerate
PRP injection vscorticosteroidinjection140ASES, CMS, SST6

  • ASES: 83.4 vs 78.9; P > .05

  • CMS: 90.5 vs 87.3; P > .05

  • SST: 10.2 vs 9.2;P > .05

EqualHigh
PRP injection with surgery vs surgery without PRP injection4781ASES, CMS, UCLA Shoulder Scale, VAS1.5 to 24

  • ASES: MD 1.22 (-0.65 to 3.09);P = .20

  • CMS: MD 2.65 (0.90 to 4.41)†

  • UCLA Shoulder Scale: MD 1.39 (0.61 to 2.17)†

  • VAS: MD -0.22 (-0.37 to -0.06)†

PRP injection for 3 of the 4 measuresModerate
PRP injection with surgery vs surgery without PRP injection51116ASES, CMS, SST, UCLA Shoulder Scale, VAS6.5 to > 12

  • ASES: WMD 0.74 (-0.77 to 2.24);P > .05

  • CMS: WMD 1.80 (0.63 to 2.96)†

  • SST: WMD 0.23 (-0.07 to 0.53)

  • UCLA Shoulder Scale: WMD 0.97 (0.23 to 1.70)

  • VAS: WMD -0.27 (-0.51 to -0.04)*

Inconsistent and not clinically importantModerate

  • ASES—American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons; CMS—Constant-Murley Score; DASH—Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand; MD—mean difference; PRP—platelet-rich plasma; RCT—randomized controlled trial; SPADI—Shoulder Pain and Disability Index; SST—Simple Shoulder Test; UCLA—University of California Los Angeles; VAS—visual analogue scale; WORC—Western Ontario Rotator Cuff; WMD—weighted mean difference.

  • ↵* Statistically significant in favour of control.

  • ↵† Statistically significant in favour of PRP injection.