02059nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653003900058653001400097653001200111653002600123100001500149700002100164700001200185700001400197700001300211700001700224245012800241520145800369022001401827       2013                            d  c2013 Oct 2910arandomized controlled trials (RCT)10aIndonesia10aleprosy10aPeripheral neuropathy1 aAnjayani S1 aWirohadidjojo YW1 aAdam AM1 aSuwandi D1 aSeweng A1 aAmiruddin MD00aSensory improvement of leprosy peripheral neuropathy in patients treated with perineural injection of platelet-rich plasma.3 aBACKGROUND: Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae with peripheral neuropathy as cutaneous and neurological manifestations. Peripheral nerve regeneration may be stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor and other growth factors (GFs) that have important roles in extracellular matrix regeneration. All of those GFs can be found in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparation. The effect of PRP injection in leprosy peripheral neuropathy has never been reported.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, control clinical trial was conducted among 60 patients with leprosy peripheral neuropathy. They were randomized to receive either a 1-ml injection of PRP as treatment or a 1-ml injection of platelet-poor plasma (PPP) as control. Skin sensibilities were measured by two-point discrimination test (TPDT) and visual analog scale (VAS), which were taken before and two weeks after treatment.

RESULTS: Perineural injection of PRP was shown to be significantly more effective than PPP (P < 0.05) either in VAS or TPDT measurements. In both groups, the patients had a tingling sensation at the time of injection that disappeared shortly after.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that perineural PRP injection could promote improvement of peripheral neuropathy sensibility in patients with leprosy. More research is needed to better determine the effects of PRP in nerve regeneration.  a1365-4632