Burn injuries cause significant mortality, morbidity, and financial and psychological burdens for patients and families. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has shown some benefits in burn wound healing, but its efficacy is unproven. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate PRP's effects on burn wounds.
Method
A comprehensive search of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library was conducted until January 22, 2025, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PRP's effect on burn wounds. The mean difference (MD), standardized MD (SMD), or odds ratio (OR) of the studies was calculated.
Results
Nine RCTs with 413 participants were included. PRP significantly reduced wound healing time (MD: −6.68 days, 95% CI (−10.96, −2.39)), wound infection incidence (OR: 0.18, 95% CI (0.04, 0.88)), and dressing change frequency (MD: −14.50 times, 95% CI (−16.45, −12.55)). There was a significant increase in the healed area percentage in the intervention group (MD: 6.82%, 95% CI (2.58, 11.06)). However, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in pain score or graft take percentage.
Conclusions
This review shows that PRP enhances wound healing and reduces adverse events like wound infection in burn patients. Future studies should further explore PRP's effects to support its broader clinical use.
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