Platelet-rich plasma effective for chronic venous leg ulcers

(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic venous leg ulcers, autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is safe and effective, with highly significant improvement in ulcer size compared to conventional treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Hoda A. Moneib, M.D., from Ain Shams University in Cairo, and colleagues compared the clinical efficacy of PRP versus conventional treatment in the management of chronic venous leg ulcers. Forty patients were included in the study: twenty were treated with autologous PRP weekly for six weeks and 20 received six weeks of conventional treatment of compression and dressing.

The researchers observed a highly significant improvement in ulcer size after PRP therapy compared with conventional therapy (P = 0.0001). The mean change in the area of the ulcer was 4.92 ± 11.94 and 0.13 ± 0.27 cm, respectively, after PRP and conventional therapy. The mean percentage improvement in the area of the ulcer was 67.6 ± 36.6 percent and 13.67 ± 28.06 percent, respectively. All patients had subjective improvement in pain associated with the ulcer.

"Platelet-rich plasma is a safe nonsurgical procedure for treating chronic venous leg ulcers," the authors write. "Additional studies with larger sample size and longer follow-up periods are required to confirm or refute our findings."