Lyophilized growth factors injection significantly reduces pain in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome

A new patented blood product named lyophilized growth factors (L-GF), which is a refined modification of conventional PRP therapy, has been developed. It uses allogenic pathogen-free platelets with a standardized number instead of autologous platelets used in PRP as a source of growth factors. It showed encouraging results in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis with regard to pain, effusion and function, in addition to efficacy and safety in plantar fasciitis. This growing evidence supporting its safety and efficacy encourages further research to verify its utility as a treatment for a spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders, including subacromial impingement (SIS).

El Sherif et al conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of L-GF injection versus placebo in SIS treatment. The study was conducted at Outpatient Clinic of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Alexandria University Hospitals. The article has been published in “Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research.”

The randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study included sixty patients (40 females and 20 males, aged between 24 and 75 years) diagnosed with SIS (both clinically and sonographically). Patients were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Under ultrasound guidance, group 1 received subacromial saline injection, and group 2 received L-GF injection. Clinical examination, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) and shoulder ultrasound were performed before and at the 8th week after injection.

Key findings of the study are:

• There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding patients’ age, gender, disease duration, occupation, handedness, side affected and its dominance.

• Follow-up assessment showed statistically significant improvement in the L-GF group regarding active flexion, active and passive internal rotation and extension, SPADI-disability scale, VAS and thickness of the supraspinatus tendon by US.

• Regression analysis showed that group 1 was approximately 30 times more likely than the L-GF group to experience painful arc at follow-up.

• Both groups showed statistically significant improvement in SPADI-pain scale and SPADI-total, flexion and abduction (still the mean value of abduction was significantly higher in the L-GF group).

The authors concluded that – “L-GF injection resulted in clinically significant reductions in pain and functional disability outcomes in patients with SIS. An objective significant reduction in the thickness of the supraspinatus tendon, measured by ultra sound, in the L-GF group hopefully encourages proper healing and functioning in SIS.”

Further reading:

Effectiveness of lyophilized growth factors injection for subacromial impingement syndrome: a prospective randomized double blind placebo controlled study

El Sherif et al.

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research (2023) 18:78

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-023-03548-4