# Therapeutic efficacy and safety of injectable platelet-rich plasma in women with stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis

## TL;DR

Injectable platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for women with stress urinary incontinence, with few side effects.

## Contribution

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of injectable PRP for stress urinary incontinence in women.

## Key findings

- PRP significantly reduced symptom severity scores in women with stress urinary incontinence.
- Urodynamic function improved with increased abdominal leak point pressure following PRP injections.
- Quality of life scores improved consistently with PRP treatment, and adverse events were mild.

## Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a prevalent pelvic floor disorder with significant effects on women’s quality of life. While surgical and non-surgical interventions exist, limitations underscore the need for alternative therapies. Injectable platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a regenerative approach targeting tissue restoration. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRP injections for female SUI.

This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library up to April 2025 identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies assessing PRP for SUI. The review protocol was prospectively registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD420251118485). Eligible studies reported outcomes on symptom severity, urodynamic parameters, quality of life, or adverse events. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2.0 for RCTs and the NHLBI tool for before–and–after studies. Pooled effect sizes were calculated using random- or fixed-effects models as appropriate.

Eight studies (three RCTs and five quasi-experimental; n = 257) were included. PRP significantly improved symptom severity, with pooled reductions in UDI-6 and ICIQ-SF scores at 1–3 months. Urodynamic analysis revealed significant increases in abdominal leak point pressure (MD = 51.07; 95% CI: 36.21–65.93; p < 0.0001), while functional profile length remained unchanged. Quality-of-life scores (IIQ-7, ICIQ-SF) showed consistent improvement. Reported adverse events were mild and self-limiting, with no serious complications observed.

Injectable PRP demonstrates promising short-term efficacy in reducing symptoms, improving urodynamic function, and enhancing quality of life in women with SUI, with a favorable safety profile. Larger, standardized RCTs with longer follow-up are needed to validate durability and define its role relative to established therapies.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251118485, CRD420251118485.