Platelet-rich plasma : hype without substance?

  • Thread starter Thread starter nomadreid
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Plasma
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the scientific validity and application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments, particularly in medical and dental contexts. Participants express skepticism regarding the evidence supporting PRP, comparing it to other controversial treatments and questioning the reliability of studies published in open-source journals.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the scientific basis of PRP, referencing concerns about the validity of studies published in open-source journals.
  • There is a comparison made between the PRP treatment controversy and other treatment controversies, such as glucosamine and placenta injections, suggesting that while PRP may have some justified applications, there is a risk of overuse in various medical conditions.
  • A participant questions whether the explanation provided in a cited paper regarding the role of growth factors in PRP is valid, indicating uncertainty about the scientific grounding of such claims.
  • Another participant emphasizes that clinical observations do not equate to controlled trials, arguing that there is insufficient medical justification for PRP use outside specific dental procedures.
  • Concerns are raised about deriving too much scientific certainty from clinical observations, highlighting the interplay between art and science in medicine and dentistry.
  • Participants engage in troubleshooting a broken link to a relevant article, indicating a collaborative effort to share resources.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express skepticism about the efficacy of PRP, but there is no consensus on its validity or applicability across different medical contexts. Multiple competing views regarding the scientific support for PRP remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the reliance on observational studies versus randomized controlled trials, and the potential for biases in the interpretation of clinical observations. The discussion reflects a range of opinions on the scientific rigor of PRP treatments.

nomadreid
Gold Member
Messages
1,771
Reaction score
255
TL;DR
There are lots of studies concerning "platelet-rich plasma", but I am skeptical ....
I am skeptical about the scientific basis of "platelet-rich plasma" (PRP): the view expressed in https://www.painscience.com/articles/platelet-rich-plasma-does-it-work.php seems to sum up my objections, but as I am not in the medical field, I am not sure how valid such articles as https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3683340/ are. (Many such articles are published, as is this one, in "open source" journals, which always rings alarm bells, but on the other hand some open source journals actually do have decent peer review.) Is there any good science behind PRP?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
nomadreid said:
Summary: There are lots of studies concerning "platelet-rich plasma", but I am skeptical ...

I am skeptical about the scientific basis of "platelet-rich plasma" (PRP): the view expressed in https://www.painscience.com/articles/platelet-rich-plasma-does-it-work.php seems to sum up my objections, but as I am not in the medical field, I am not sure how valid such articles as https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3683340/ are. (Many such articles are published, as is this one, in "open source" journals, which always rings alarm bells, but on the other hand some open source journals actually do have decent peer review.) Is there any good science behind PRP?
The story of PRP treatment controversy is actually very similar to glucosamine treatment controversy or placenta injection controversy. Seems in some cases (the dental surgery most likely) PRP treatment can be justified, but a lot of pressure do exist to try newly available treatment against just every malady, resulting in string of treatment failures. Please wait 20-30 years until medics will agree on the area of applicability (or its absence) of PRP treatment.
 
Thanks, trurle. So your "dental surgery most likely" seems to indicate that perhaps the justification given in the paper I cited: "The platelets contained in this concentrate of autologous plasma release their alpha granules after the coagulation process has been locally trigged in the wound site. These alpha granules contain a cocktail of growth factors which promote proliferation, chemotaxis and the differentiation of cells, which are essential to osteogenesis. Thus, besides its procoagulant effect, PRP is a source of growth factors involved in initiating and sustaining wound healing by accelerating bone repair, promoting fibroblast proliferation, and increasing tissue vascularity" might have some validity? That is, while I am waiting for a consensus and enough long-term studies, should I consider that the causal explanation could be a valid one? That is, there are lots of theories offering explanations that I know enough about to be able to either dismiss or to say "that might hold water", but my expertise in biology is close to nil, so that I cannot judge this one: are you saying that this explanation is out of the "silly" category and into the "could be" category?
 
No, it is merely a clinical observation based on smaller numbers. It is not a controlled trial. There are other clinical trials for this that do not indicate usefulness in other procedures. So, there is no medical justification for using it, unless you are a licensed dentist doing certain procedures. And then it is discretionary.

You are deriving too much science. Medicine/dentistry is both art and a science.
Learn about this here:
https://www.pharmaco-vigilance.eu/content/discrepancies-between-observational-studies-and-randomized-controlled-trial
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: trurle
Thanks, jim mcnamara, but the link you gave is broken ("page not found")
 
Interesting. I cannot get to it either. Hmm.
 
Thanks, Tom.G. I got it. Now I can say to jim mcnamara: thanks, a relevant article.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Tom.G

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K