AbstractContext: Lateral epicondylitis is a micro-tear most often within the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis. It has an incidence of 4 to7 persons per 1000 general population per year. Aim: To compare the efficacy of Platelet Rich Plasma(PRP) with corticosteroid in treatment of lateral epicondylitis.Settings and Design: A hospital based randomized control trial. Statistical analysis used: Mean, Standard deviation and Mann Whitney test. Materials and methods: One year randomized control trial was done in the Department of Orthopaedics at the KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital & MRC, Belagavi. Patients in the age group of 30 to 55 years of either sex who were fulfilling the inclusion/ exclusion criteria presenting to the out-patient department of orthopedics with lateral epicondylitis of either limb were included and randomized into catergory 1 (corticosteroid injection) and category 2 (PRP injection). Category 1(n=30) patients were subjected to local corticosteroid injection and category 2(n=30) were subjected to Platelet Rich Plasma and outcome measured using Visual analogue score(VAS) and NIRSCHL staging.
Results: At 2 weeks corticosteroid demonstrated significant decrease in VAS score and NIRSCHL staging. At 6 weeks both categories had similar results. At 12 weeks and 6 months follow-up, there was significant decrease of VAS score and NIRSCHL score in the PRP category.Conclusion: Thus the study concludes that though local injection of steroids provide good pain relief in short term, platelet rich plasma is better for longer pain free period.
Keywords: Lateral epicondylitis; Corticosteroid; Platelet rich Plasma.