Table 1 Details of studies comparing autologous blood and corticosteroid injections

Kazemi et al. (2010),

PEDro = 6,

n = 60 participants; AB group: 30;

Age: 47.2 ± 10.6 yrs.

7 males, 23 females

CS group: 30

Age: 47.0 ± 10.3 yrs.

4 males, 26 females

• Participants received one injection into the lateral epicondyle region just inferior to the ECRB.

• Two ml of AB mixed with one ml of 2% lidocaine injected in the AB group, while 20 mg methylprednisolone with one ml of 2% lidocaine provided in CS group.

• Outcomes assessed before and after injection (four- and 8-weeks post-injection).

• VAS

• Pain and strength in maximum grip

• Quick DASH scores

• Modified Nirschl scores

• Pressure pain threshold

• Limb pain at rest, Quick DASH scores and pain in maximum grip lower in AB group at 4 weeks. (p < 0.01)

• All the outcome measures significantly better in the AB group at 8 weeks evaluation (p < 0.001).

Dojode 2012

PEDro = 6

n = 60 participants

AB group: 30

Mean Age: 42.9 yrs.

13 males, 17 females

CS group: 30

Mean Age: 42.2 yrs.

12 males, 18 females

• All participants received injections at the lateral epicondyle into the undersurface of the ECRB.

• AB: two ml drawn from the contralateral upper limb vein mixed with one ml 0.5% bupivacaine.

• CS: two ml of methyl prednisolone acetate (80 mg) mixed with one ml 0.5% bupivacaine, at the lateral epicondyle.

• Outcomes assessed pre-injection and at one, 4, 12 weeks and 6 months following the injection.

• VAS,

• Nirschl staging of lateral epicondylitis

• CS group showed statistically significant decrease in pain compared to AB group in both outcomes at one and 4 weeks.

• At 12 weeks, the VAS and Nirschl scores were significantly lower in the AB group (p = 0.0127 and p = 0.0184, respectively); this was maintained at 6 months

• At final retention assessment, 47% in CS group and 90% in AB group were completely relieved of pain.

Arik et al. (2014)

PEDro = 5

n = 80 participants

AB group: 40;

Age: 43.7 ± 7.8 yrs.

11 males, 29 females

CS group: 40

Age: 46.7 ± 8.4 yrs.

10 males, 30 females

• Participants were given a single injection of AB (two ml venous blood collected from antecubital fossa of ipsilateral side mixed with one ml of 2% prilocaine hydrochloride) or CS injections (one ml of 40 mg methylprednisolone acetate mixed with one ml of 2% prilocaine hydrochloride).

• Each participant was assessed before treatment and at day 15, 30, and 90 after the injection.

• VAS

• PRTEE questionnaire

• Grip strength (using a hydraulic hand dynamometer)

• CS injection improved all outcomes at a faster rate over the first 15 days (p = 0.0001), and then started to decline slightly until day 90.

• After AB injection, all three scores improved steadily and were eventually better (p = 0.0001).

• 38 (95%) of participants with AB injection and 25 (62.5%) of participants with CS injection achieved complete recovery.

Lebiedzinskieet al. (2015)

PEDro = 6,

n = 99 participants;

ACP group: 53

Mean Age: 47.0 yrs.

28 males, 25 females

CS: 46

Mean Age: 54.0 yrs.

12 males, 34 females

• Participants received one injection in the ECRB of ACP or CS (one ml betamethasone injections and two ml of 1% lignocaine)

• Baseline evaluation of DASH and re-evaluation at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.

• DASH: 15-point increase set as significant change

• The steroid group had better mean DASH scores at 6 weeks (p = .01) and tended to have lower scores at 6 months (p = .05).

• At 1 year, the mean DASH score was significantly better in the ACP group (p < .05).

Wolf et al. (2011),

PEDro = 6

n = 28 participants; Saline group: 10

AB group: 9

CS group: 9

Overall average age: 49 yrs.

16 males, 12 females

• Participants received each injection with one mL lidocaine mixed with two mL of designated injection placed under the extensor origin.

• Every provided with a standard sheet of stretching exercises.

• Outcomes assessed at baseline, and at 2 weeks, 2 months and 6 months after injection.

• DASH

• VAS

• PRTEE

• No significant between group differences in DASH scores were found at the two- and 6-months assessments.

• There were significant improvements in all three groups (p < 0.001) over the course of 6 months for the DASH.