Combined intralesional triamcinolone acetonide and platelet rich plasma versus intralesional triamcinolone acetonide alone in treatment of keloids

Abstract

Background: Keloids are benign fibro-proliferative growths occurring after skin injury or spontaneously. Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is their first-line therapy, but commonly associated with side effects or recurrence. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous blood-derived product with promising results in improving wound healing with lower keloid occurrence.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of combined intralesional TA and PRP versus TA alone in keloids treatment.

Methods: Forty patients with keloids were divided randomly into two equal groups (A and B). Both groups received intralesional TA (20 mg/ml) for four sessions, 3 weeks apart. Group A patients received additional intralesional PRP 1 week after TA injections. Evaluation was done after 3 months of follow up by Vancouver scar scale (VSS) and verbal rating scale (VRS) for pain and itching.

Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in all parameters of VSS and VRS in comparison with baseline. Significantly better improvement in height, pigmentation, and pliability and overall VSS was detected in patients of group A. A significantly higher incidence of post-TA atrophy and hypopigmentation was observed in group B.

Conclusion: Combining intralesional PRP with TA could yield cosmetically better outcomes in keloid treatment with lower incidence of TA-induced side effects especially atrophy and hypopigmentation.

Keywords: Keloid; platelet rich plasma; triamcinolone acetonide.