Joost Peerbooms

72 Chapter 5 Table 2 Flow Chart of Patients Corticosteroid Group Platelet Group Total Free of complications 35 43 78 Temporarily lost to follow-up 0 3 3 Operation 6 3 9 Corticosteroid injection (second injection) 1 2 3 Platelet concentrate injection (second injection) 6 0 6 Lost to follow-up 1 0 1 Total 49 51 100 Six months after the initial treatment, the patients who were operated had VAS and DASH scores (respectively, 54.3 ± 26 and 112.2 ± 75.2) that were significantly worse than those of the nonoperated patients ( P = .04). The patients needing a second injection had comparable VAS and DASH scores (60.6 ± 29 and 94.6 ± 62.2; P = .0196) as the patients who did not have a second injection. Initially, the PRP-treated patients had a mean VAS score of 70.1 ± 15.1 and a mean DASH score of 161.3 ± 62.3. The control patients had a mean VAS score of 65.8 ± 13.8 and a mean DASH score of 131.2 ± 58.2. Four weeks after the procedure, PRP-treated patients reported a mean improvement of 21% in their VAS scores (70.1 to 55.4) compared with the initial values, whereas the corticosteroid-treated patients reported a 32.8% improvement (65.8 to 44.2; P = .077) (Figure 2). Also, after 4 weeks, DASH scores had improved 15.7% (161.3 to 135.9) in PRP patients versus a 25.8% improvement (131.3 to 97.4) in corticosteroid-treated patients ( P = .469) (Figure 3). Eight weeks after the procedure, PRP-treated patients reported a mean improvement of 33.1% (70.1 to 46.9) in their VAS scores compared with the initial values, whereas the corticosteroid-treated patients reported a 34.8% improvement (65.8 to 42.9; P = .818) (Figure 2). After 8 weeks, DASH scores improved 29.7% (161.3 to 113.4) in PRP patients versus a 35.5% improvement (131.26 to 84.7) in corticosteroid-treated patients ( P = .999) (Figure 3). Twelve weeks after the procedure, PRP-treated patients reported a mean improvement of 44.8% (70.1 to 38.7) in their VAS scores compared with the initial values, whereas the corticosteroid-treated patients reported a 32.8% improvement (65.8 to 44.2; P = .206) (Figure 2). Also, after 12 weeks, DASH scores had improved 43.0% (161.3 to 92.0) in PRP