The Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in De Quervain's Tenosynovitis: A Systematic Review

De Quervain's disease (DQVD) is the stenosing tenosynovitis of tendons in the first extensor compartment of the forearm. It is a common inflammatory condition that is often treated conservatively. While conservative therapy is an effective modality of treatment for a large number of patients suffering from DQVD, some patients do not improve with conservative measures. Many alternative treatment modalities are recognized in the treatment of DQVD. One of the non-surgical treatment strategies that is currently on the rise is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the first dorsal extensor compartment. It is thought that PRP injections contain growth factors that may provide a regenerative stimulus to tendon healing. Various studies evaluated as a treatment modality for different tendinopathies including DQVD. There remains, however, controversy as to the efficacy of its benefit and efficacy in treating DQVD. This paper is a systematic review of the literature conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP in the treatment of DQVD. The review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. The review included a systematic search through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline, Amed, and the Web of Sciences, and was supplemented by manual search through other published online resources. The period of search was defined as January 2013 to October 2023, and the search included all studies that evaluated the use of PRP in the treatment of DQVD. A total of 1,029 records were screened; only eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Three randomized clinical trials and five experimental studies were included in the review. A systematic review of the evidence suggested that PRP is a promising and safe alternative to conventional steroid injections in the treatment of De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Further large sample studies are needed prior to the definitive recommendation of PRP as the gold standard for the treatment of De Quervain's tenosynovitis.