Does Platelet-Rich Plasma Deserve a Role in Accelerating the Recovery of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Following Distal Radius Fracture?

This study was to evaluate the efficacy of multiple platelet-rich plasma injections in reflex sympathetic dystrophy following distal radius fracture after previous various treatments have failed.

This comparative prospective study was designed for 64 patients of reflex sympathetic dystrophy developed following distal radius fracture, from January 2009 to December 2020 were enrolled in this study. This cohort of patient was given either four multiple subcutaneous platelet-rich plasma injections at weekly interval (n = 32) or two injections in a month with 15 days interval (n = 32). The primary outcome measure assessed with patient rated wrist evaluation questionnaire score. The secondary outcome was a visual analogue scale pain score. The final follow up was at 2 years. p ≤ 0.05 is considered statistically.

The patient rated wrist evaluation score for usual and specific activities and EQ-VAS for pain level showed statistically significant greater improvement in group A (42 \(\pm\) $\pm$ 21%) compared to group B (19 \(\pm\) $\pm$ 24%), (p = 0.37). Patients also had improvement in wrist movements with no statistically significant differences in both groups. The standard difference in means of all three functional scores was almost similar between both groups A and B (standard difference in means = 0.032; 95% CI 0.236–0.830; p = 0.495), considered clinically meaningful.

This study results suggest autologous platelet-rich plasma injections seem to be safe, cost effective, efficacious algorithm treatment for reflex sympathetic dystrophy following distal radius fracture patients where previous treatments have failed.