A Meta-analysis of the Evidence for Assisted Therapy with Platelet-Rich Plasma for Atrophic Acne Scars

Background A number of studies have investigated the role of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as an assisted therapy for atrophic acne scars. However, the results are diverse, and no up-to-date meta-analysis was found that exclusively examined atrophic acne scar treatment. Objectives To perform a meta-analysis to assess improvements in the side effects of PRP and the effect of assisted therapy for atrophic acne scars. Methods This study followed PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out in September 2018 using the electronic databases of PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library. Results Seven articles were included in this review. All of the studies published utilized PRP as additive therapy. The major therapies included fractional carbon laser therapy and microneedling. Five studies (249 participants) reported four degrees of improvement on an improvement scale (degrees 3 and 4 were considered improvement in this analysis). Four studies (200 participants) reported mean improvement scores. A significantly higher degree of improvement was shown in the PRP group compared to the control group (OR = 8.19; 95% CI 4.32-15.52; p < 0.00001), as well as better mean improvement score (WMD = 23.73; 95% CI 18.60-28.87; p < 0.00001). Substantial heterogeneity was seen in the degree of improvement (I-2 = 54% p = 0.07) and the mean improvement score (I-2 = 75%; p = 0.008). There were overall fewer monitored side effects, including erythema and edema (in days), in the PRP groups; however, no significance was found. Conclusions This review shows that PRP is a useful assisted therapy for atrophic acne scars, which can achieve better improvement.