Regenerative injection therapy for osteoarthritis: fundamental concepts and evidence-based review.

Regenerative therapy involves the injection of a small volume of solution into multiple sites of painful ligament and tendon insertions (entheses) and adjacent joint spaces, with the goal of reducing pain and ostensibly promoting tissue repair and growth. Dextrose and platelet-rich plasma solutions have been shown to increase expression of growth factors in vivo and have shown promising clinical results in the treatment of tendinosus. In the treatment of osteoarthritis, small clinical trials and case series to date suggest safety, symptomatic improvement, and functional improvement at up to a year of follow-up; however, most of these studies are uncontrolled.

Applications of platelet-rich plasma in musculoskeletal and sports medicine: an evidence-based approach.

This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current literature that pertains to the therapeutic use of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The basic science literature regarding the role of growth factors in mediating the healing process and the laboratory data from in vitro and in vivo studies that evaluated PRP are reviewed. Subsequently, the current evidence regarding PRP efficacy from animal models, human surgical studies, and human clinical studies is presented.

Changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the implementation of Japan's long-term care insurance system: a hospital-based study.

Objective: To explore the changes in stroke rehabilitation outcomes after the introduction of Japan's long-term care insurance (LTCI) system.

Design: Stroke patients discharged during a 3-yr period before and after the implementation of LTCI were compared (before-LTCI vs. after-LTCI).