ReviewSpine surgery and related research2026
Epidural Platelet-Rich Plasma Long-Term Outcome Is Better Than Steroid for Prolapsed Lumbar Intervertebral Discs: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Review in Spine surgery and related research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) is a prevalent spinal cause of low back pain associated with radicular pain. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a potential alternative to epidural steroid injections. This review aimed to compare the efficacy of epidural PRP and epidural steroid injections in treating low back pain due to prolapsed lumbar IVD, assessed using a pain scale and Oswestry's disability index (ODI). Methods: A systematic search of 4 databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) up to July 2024 for randomized controlled trials comparing epidural PRP with steroids. Risk of Bias 2 was used for bias assessment. Pain and ODI mean differences (MDs) were calculated using RevMan v5.4. Heterogeneity was measured using I Results: Three trials (n=132) were included. At 1 month, epidural steroid injections showed lower pain scores than PRP (standard MD=1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63-1.46, p<0.00001, I Conclusions: Epidural PRP provides sustained and gradual improvement of pain and ODI for patients with prolapsed lumbar IVD over months of follow-up, while steroids provide initial relief at 1 month but are associated with worsening at later follow-ups.
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