The Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Compared with Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the combination effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), compared with PRP alone.

Design: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: A single medical center in Taiwan.

Patients: Patients diagnosed with moderate CTS.

Interventions: All subjects were administered one dose of ultrasound-guided PRP injection at baseline. After two weeks, one session of rESWT was completed in the intervention group, whereas the control group received one session of sham rESWT. Evaluations were performed at baseline and one, three, and six months post-PRP injection.

Outcome measures: The Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) was measured as the primary outcome. Electrophysiological study and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve were used as secondary outcomes.

Results: All 40 enrolled subjects (male/female: 4/36) completed the study, resulting in an analysis of 32 wrists per group (total: N = 64 wrists). Compared with the control group, the intervention group did not show statistically significantly superior outcomes, except in BCTQs at one month (mean change ± SE = -11.47 ± 1.18 vs -7.06 ± 1.26, P = 0.013) and distal motor latency at three months (mean change ± SE = -0.59 ± 0.09 vs -0.30 ± 0.09, P = 0.031).

Conclusions: Combined PRP and one-session rESWT was not superior to PRP alone in treating moderate CTS. Further studies with multiple sessions of ESWT and longer follow-up periods are needed to verify the clinical efficacy of ESWT.

Keywords: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy; Median Nerve; Platelet-Rich Plasma.