Adherence rates to the minimum information for studies evaluating biologics in orthopedics guidelines for clinical studies on platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review.

Abstract

Background: Lateral epicondylitis (LE), commonly known as tennis elbow, is a condition involving inflammation of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon at its attachment to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. In recent years, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, an ortho-biologic treatment, has emerged as a promising option for the treatment of LE. Despite promising results in clinical trials, variability in PRP preparation and administration is a barrier to consistent outcomes. To address this, the Minimum Information for Studies Evaluating Biologics in Orthopedics (MIBO) guidelines were created in 2017 to establish a standardized approach for reporting findings in PRP-based studies. The objective of this study was to analyze and compare the rate of adherence of the MIBO guidelines in the use of PRP in treating LE.

Methods: This systematic review evaluates the adherence of studies on PRP for LE to MIBO guidelines using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Adherence was determined by calculating the total percentage of checklist items that each study adequately and clearly reported from the 46-point checklist.

Results: A total of 26 studies (954 patients) were included. Overall, only 52.2% of the 46-point MIBO checklist was reported per article on average with 0 articles displaying adherence rates of 100%. There was no significant difference in the mean adherence rates between studies prior to publication of the MIBO guidelines (45.2%) and after (53.7%).

Conclusions: This review demonstrated that studies evaluating the outcomes and procedures of the use of PRP in the setting of LE have poor adherence to MIBO guidelines. There was no difference in the adherence rates in studies published before and after the creation of MIBO guidelines in 2017. Level of evidence: II.