A novel approach to Peyronie's disease: Intralesional injection of lyophilized platelet-derived growth factors.

Abstract

Introduction: Platelets store numerous growth factors that are released upon activation at sites of tissue injury. These factors support the wound healing process by enhancing chemotaxis, angiogenesis, cellular proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, and tissue remodeling.The aim of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of intralesional lyophilized platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF) in men with Peyronie's disease (PD).

Material and methods: This prospective study included 42 patients diagnosed with PD between June 2022 and October 2023; four were lost to follow-up. After providing informed consent, all participants underwent clinical evaluation, including medical history, physical examination, Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), Erection Hardness Score (EHS), Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ), intracavernosal injection test, and penile duplex ultrasonography. Patients received six biweekly intralesional injections of lyophilized PDGF (one vial every two weeks over 12 weeks).

Results: A significant reduction in penile curvature was observed, with the mean angle decreasing from 34.62 ±16.37° to 11.40 ±8.84° (mean reduction of 23.22°). Plaque size was also significantly reduced, from a mean of 2.70 ±0.87 cm to 1.43 ±0.44 cm. PDQ scores improved in all domains: Domain 1 by 9.18 points, Domain 2 by 14.74 points, and Domain 3 by 8.3 points. Additionally, erectile function improved, with no patients reporting an EHS grade of E1 or E2 after treatment.

Conclusions: Intralesional injection of lyophilized PDGF appears to be a promising non-surgical option for improving curvature, plaque size, and sexual function in patients with Peyronie's disease. Further studies are recommended to validate these findings.