https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2024.12687
The potential role of intracavernosal injection of platelet-rich plasma for treating patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction: A GRADE-Assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Submitted: May 24, 2024
Accepted: June 7, 2024
Published: October 2, 2024
Accepted: June 7, 2024
Abstract Views: 120
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Introduction: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has shown positive effects on enhancing erectile function in animal studies. Human clinical trials are limited and provide contradictory results. This review aims to conduct a meta-analysis of the available Randomized controlled trials (RCT) to assess the efficacy of PRP in males with ED.
Methods: A systematic review was carried out following the Cochrane Handbook of Intervention and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023441655).
Results: A total of three RCTs were included in the analysis for a total of 221 patients with mild to moderate ED. The patients receiving PRP reported significantly better improvement of IIEFEF score during 1,3- and 6-months follow-up compared to the placebo group (mean difference [MD] 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48 to 3.83, p < 0.01; MD 2.11, 95%CI 0.13 to 4.09, p = 0.04; MD 2.99, 95%CI 1.79 to 4.19, p < 0.01). The pooled analysis indicated that attainment of minimally clinical important difference (MCID) was significantly higher in patients receiving PRP compared to the placebo group during one and 6-month follow-up (odds ratio [OR] 5.51, 95%CI 1.2 to 254, p = 0.03; OR 5.64, 95%CI 2.05 to 15.55, p < 0.01; respectively). Encouragingly, no major AEs were reported in all three trials in the PRP and placebo groups (p = 0.99).
Conclusions: This review highlights the potential role of PRP in providing short-term improvement of erectile function parameters for up to 6 months in mild to moderate ED patients. Future RCTs with longer-duration follow-ups and more standardized treatment protocols are necessary to gain sufficient details on PRP's long-term effectiveness and safety.
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How to Cite
Yogiswara, N., Rizaldi, F., & Soebadi, M. A. (2024). The potential role of intracavernosal injection of platelet-rich plasma for treating patients with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction: A GRADE-Assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Archivio Italiano Di Urologia E Andrologia, 96(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2024.12687
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