Research Article: Enhancing therapeutic outcomes in degenerative lumbar disc disease: a retrospective study on combined autologous PRP injection and celecoxib therapy
Abstract:
To investigate the therapeutic value of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in patients with degenerative lumbar disc disease (DLDD), and to evaluate its clinical efficacy in alleviating pain, improving lumbar function, modulating inflammatory responses, and enhancing quality of life.
This retrospective study included 112 DLDD patients treated at our hospital from April 2023 to February 2025. According to the treatment received, patients were divided into two groups. The control group ( n = 56) received oral celecoxib, while the observation group ( n = 56) received autologous PRP injection in addition to oral celecoxib. The two groups were compared regarding treatment efficacy, pain response [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)], lumbar function [Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA)], disability in daily activities [Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)], inflammatory markers [Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor necrosis factor-? (TNF-?), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)], and incidence of adverse reactions.
The observation group demonstrated significantly superior overall efficacy compared with the control group (total effective rate: 94.96% vs. 82.14%, P < 0.05). There were significant differences between groups, over time, and in group-time interaction for VAS, JOA, and ODI scores ( P < 0.05). At 4 weeks after treatment, TLR4, TNF-?, hs-CRP, and SDF-1 levels in both groups decreased compared with baseline, with greater reductions in the observation group ( P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions was similar between groups (8.93% vs. 14.29%, P > 0.05).
Combining autologous PRP injection with oral celecoxib provides short-term pain relief, functional improvement, and reduction of inflammatory responses in DLDD patients without significantly increasing adverse reactions. However, longer follow-up is required to determine the durability of these effects and the long-term clinical value of PRP-based treatment.
Introduction:
Degenerative lumbar disc disease (DLDD) is one of the most common spinal degenerative disorders causing chronic low back pain and restricted lumbar mobility. Its pathophysiology primarily involves loss of nucleus pulposus hydration, annulus fibrosus degeneration, increased release of inflammatory mediators, and sensitization of nerve endings, leading to reduced lumbar stability and persistent pain ( 1 , 2 ). With population aging, accelerated lifestyles, and increased prevalence of sedentary or physically…
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