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PROLOTHERAPY RESEARCH
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
Reeves KD, Hassanein KM. Long-term effects of dextrose prolotherapy
for anterior cruciate ligament laxity. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003
May-Jun;9(3):58-62. Study Abstract
CONTEXT: Use of dextrose prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is
defined as injection that causes growth of normal cells or tissue.
OBJECTIVE: Determine the 1 and 3 year efficacy of dextrose
injection prolotherapy on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) laxity. After
year 1, determine patient tolerance of a stronger dextrose concentration
(25% versus 10%).
DESIGN: Prospective consecutive patient trial. SETTING:
Outpatient physical medicine clinic.
PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients with 6
months or more of knee pain plus ACL knee laxity. This laxity was
defined by a KT1000 anterior displacement difference (ADD) of 2 mm or
more. INTERVENTION: Intraarticular injection of 6-9 cc of 10% dextrose
at months 0, 2, 4, 6, and 10. Injection with 6 cc of 25% dextrose at 12
months. Then, depending on patient preference, injection of either 10%
or 25% dextrose every 2-4 months (based on patient preference) through
36 months.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual analogue scale (VAS) for
pain at rest, pain on level surfaces, pain on stairs, and swelling.
Goniometric flexion range of motion, and KT1000-measured ADD were also
measured. All measurements were obtained at 0, 6, 12 and 36 months.
RESULTS: Two patients did not reach 6 month data collection, 1 of whom
was diagnosed with disseminated cancer. The second was wheelchair-bound
and found long-distance travel to the clinic problematic. Sixteen
subjects were available for data analysis. KT1000 ADD, measurement
indicated that 6 knees measured as normal (not loose) after 6 months, 9
measured as normal after 1 year (6 injections), and 10 measured as
normal at 3 years. At the 3 year follow-up, pain at rest, pain with
walking, and pain with stair use had improved by 45%, 43%, and 35%
respectively. Individual paired t tests indicated subjective swelling
improved 63% (P = .017), flexion range of motion improved by 10.5
degrees (P = .002), and KT1000 ADD improved by 71% (P = .002). Eleven
out of 16 patients preferred 10% dextrose injection.
CONCLUSION: In patients with symptomatic anterior cruciate
ligament laxity, intermittent dextrose injection resulted in clinically
and statistically significant improvement in ACL laxity, pain, swelling,
and knee range of motion.
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