Drug Design, Development and Therapy (May 2020)
The Usefulness of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for the Treatment of Vitiligo: State of the Art and Review
Abstract
SR Mercuri,1 L Vollono,2 G Paolino1,3 1Unit of Dermatology, IRCCS, Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; 2Dermatology Unit, Department of “Medicina dei Sistemi”, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 3Dermatologic Clinic, La Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: L VollonoTor Vergata University, via Cracovia 50, Rome 00133, ItalyTel +39 0620902743Fax +39 0620902742Email [email protected]: Vitiligo is an acquired, idiopathic disorder clinically characterized by amelanotic lesions on the skin which cause significant impairment of patients’ quality of life. A variety of treatments have been proposed, with inconsistent results. In the last decades, the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is receiving increasing interest as a potential effective technique in the treatment of several dermatological diseases, including vitiligo.Objective: We conducted a review with the aim to identify studies that documented the use of PRP for vitiligo.Materials and Methods: Electronic databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception to November 2019 have been searched using different combinations of the following terms: “platelet-rich plasma”, “platelet gel”, “platelet-rich fibrin”, “PRP” and “vitiligo”.Results: We identified 6 clinical studies consistent with our research, with a total of 253 patients, listing and discussing the obtained results. In all reports, all treated patients showed a stable vitiligo, and a significantly higher improvement in the PRP groups was always observed compared to control groups. Regarding the side effects, PRP in vitiligo patients is useful and without important side effects.Conclusion: PRP is a promising treatment for stable vitiligo lesions in different body sites. The possible use of PRP in combination with traditional therapeutic options and the standardization of processing protocols represents a very fertile field for future research. Larger clinical trials with longer time of observation would provide solid evidence regarding the effectiveness of PRP for the treatment of vitiligo.Keywords: vitiligo, skin, platlet rich plasma, PRP, treatment
