Association between Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Alpha Gene Polymorphisms and Platelet-Rich Plasma’s Efficiency in Treating Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy—A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Individual differences in the response to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy can be observed among patients. The genetic background may be the cause of this variability. The current study focused on the impact of genetic variants on the effectiveness of PRP. The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene on the effectiveness of treating lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) with PRP. The treatment’s efficacy was analyzed over time (2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 52 and 104 weeks after the PRP injection) on 107 patients using patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) and achievement of a minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Four SNPs of the PDGFRA gene (rs7668190, rs6554164, rs869978 and rs1316926) were genotyped using the TaqMan assay method. Patients with the AA genotypes of the rs7668190 and the rs1316926 polymorphisms, as well as carriers of the T allele of rs6554164 showed greater effectiveness of PRP therapy than carriers of other genotypes. Moreover, the studied SNPs influenced the platelets’ parameters both in whole blood and in PRP. These results showed that PDGFRA gene polymorphisms affect the effectiveness of PRP treatment. Genotyping the rs6554164 and the rs1316926 SNPs may be considered for use in individualized patient selection for PRP therapy.