Platelet-Rich Plasma for Urologic Conditions: An Early Call for Composition Reporting

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a blood product with high platelet concentrations, has been introduced as a potential treatment for urologic conditions like Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction (ED). Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials have been conducted on adult men with mild-to-moderate ED, using PRP injections. However, the results are conflicting, with two studies showing significant benefits of PRP compared to placebo, while one showed no difference. The authors suggest that the conflicting results may be due to differences in patient population, use of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, and variations in the injected volume of PRP. They also highlight a key missing aspect in PRP trial design: patients’ platelet concentration at baseline, the platelet increase factor in their PRP, and growth factor and cytokine concentrations of the injected treatment. They call for future trials to report these factors, as they can significantly impact the interpretation and clinical implications of the findings.