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Abstracts

40 PLATELET-RICH PLASMA FOR CHRONIC ACHILLES

TENDINOPATHY: A DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMISED
CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH ONE YEAR FOLLOW-UP
S de Jonge,1,2 R J de Vos,2 A Weir,2 H T M van Schie,1 S M A Bierma-Zeinstra,1
J A N Verhaar,1 H Weinans,1 J L Tol2 1Department of Orthopaedics of Erasmus University
Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 2Department of Sports Medicine of The
Hague Medical Center Antoniushove, Leidschendam, The Netherlands

10.1136/bjsm.2010.081554.40

Introduction Chronic Achilles tendinopathy occurs fre-

quently and is very hard to treat. The disease involves local
degeneration of tendon tissue, of which regeneration may be
improved by injecting platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an increas-
ingly used therapy for releasing growth factors into degenera-
tive tendon. However, high-quality randomised clinical trials
on this topic are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate
the effect of a PRP injection in patients with chronic Achilles
tendinopathy.
Methods In this stratied, block randomised, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial at single center 54 patients aged 1870
years were randomised in two treatment groups. Next to an
eccentric training program the patients received a blinded
injection containing either PRP group or saline (placebo
group). Primary outcome, the objective and validated Victorian
Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) score, was
assessed and ultrasound examination was performed at base-
line and all follow-up appointments.
Results After randomisation into the PRP group (n=27) and
the placebo group (n=27) there was a complete follow-up.
After one year, the mean VISA-A score improved in both
the PRP-group and the placebo group. There was no signi-
cant difference in increase between both groups (adjusted
between-group difference, 5.5; 95% CI, 4.9 to 15.8, p=0.292).
Ultrasonographic tendon structure improved signicantly in
both groups, but not signicant different between both groups
(adjusted between-group difference, 1.2 %, 95% CI, 4.1 to
6.6, p=0.647)
Conclusion One-year follow-up analysis of the worlds rst
randomised controlled trial showed no evidence for the use
of platelet-rich plasma injection in chronic Achilles tendinopa-
thy. These ndings are in line with our 6 months results (De
Vos et al JAMA 2010).

recovery.

14 of 24 Br J Sports Med 2011;45:e1

 Downloaded from http://bjsm.bmj.com/ on September 16, 2016 - Published by group.bmj.com

Platelet-rich plasma for chronic achilles

tendinopathy: a double-blind randomised
controlled trial with one year follow-up
S de Jonge, R J de Vos, A Weir, H T M van Schie, S M A
Bierma-Zeinstra, J A N Verhaar, H Weinans and J L Tol

Br J Sports Med 2011 45: e1

doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2010.081554.40

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