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Review
. 2021 Mar 12;11(3):793.
doi: 10.3390/ani11030793.

The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Treatment of Tenodesmic Lesions in Horses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Experimental Data

Chiara Montano  1 , Luigi Auletta  2 , Adelaide Greco  3 , Dario Costanza  3 , Pierpaolo Coluccia  3 , Chiara Del Prete  4 , Leonardo Meomartino  3 , Maria Pia Pasolini  4
Affiliations
Review

The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Treatment of Tenodesmic Lesions in Horses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Experimental Data

Chiara Montano et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to enhance tenodesmic lesion healing has been questioned over the years. The aim of this study was to evaluate current literature to establish the effectiveness of PRP for treating tenodesmic lesions through a systematic review, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, and a meta-analysis. Studies comparing PRP with placebo or other treatments for horses with tenodesmic injuries or evaluated PRP effect on tendon and ligament explants were included. Outcomes were clinical, ultrasound, histologic, molecular evaluation, and adverse effects. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed each study's risk of bias. Treatment effects were evaluated using risk ratios for dichotomous data, together with 95% CI. Data were pooled using the random-effects model. The quality of the evidence for each outcome was assessed using GRADE criteria. Twenty-four trials met inclusion criteria for systematic review, while fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results showed no significant differences in the outcomes between PRP and control groups. Finally, there is no definitive evidence that PRP enhances tendons and ligaments healing. Therefore, there is a need for more controlled trials to draw a firmer conclusion about the efficacy of PRP as a treatment for tenodesmic lesions in the horse.

Keywords: DDFT; PRP; SDFT; SL; equine; growth factors; healing; ligament; platelet concentrate; tendon.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart for identification of published studies. Review Manager (RevMan 5.3).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot representing successful outcomes of selected studies, using a meta-analytic approach based on the random-effects model. The squares represent the positive outcome of individual studies, with the whiskers corresponding to the 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The diamonds correspond to the positive outcome of the study and 95% CI of overall.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot representing successful outcomes of selected studies, divided into different subgroups, using a meta-analytic approach based on the random-effects model. The squares represent the positive outcome of individual studies, with the whiskers corresponding to the 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The diamonds correspond to the study’s positive outcome and 95% CI of every subgroup and overall.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Risk of bias.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Summary of risk of bias.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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