Patients Use Google to Ask Questions About the Structure, Function, and Risks of Peptide Use in Orthopaedic Surgery
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose To identify the common patient questions and to evaluate the quality of online resources regarding peptide therapy, namely, body protection compound‐157, in orthopaedic surgery. Methods Three orthopaedic peptide searches were entered into a clean Google Web Search on June 30, 2025. Questions under the “People also ask” tab were expanded sequentially. The first 100 consecutive results meeting inclusion criteria for each query were included (300 total). Questions or websites unrelated to orthopaedic peptides and repeat verbatim questions within each query were excluded. Questions were categorized into 1 of 3 Rothwell Classifications and subcategorized by topic. Websites were categorized based on source. The Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark Criteria was used to evaluate the quality of each website. Results Most questions fell into the Rothwell Fact category (61.0%). Most common question topics were Structure/Function (31.7%), Risks/Complications (20.7%), and Treatment Comparisons (9.7%). The least common question topics were Specific Activities (0%), Pain (0.3%), Longevity of Treatment (0.7%), and Management (0.7%). The most common websites were Commercial (28.0%), Academic (18.0%), and Government (18.0%). PubMed articles consisted of 98.1% of Government websites. The overall average Journal of the American Medical Association score was 2.0 ± 1.5. Government websites had the highest score (3.6 ± 0.7) and constituted 48.6% of websites with a score of 4/4. Medical Practice and Single Surgeon websites had the lowest Journal of the American Medical Association score of 0.7 ± 1.0 and 0.7 ± 0.9, respectively. Conclusions The most common online patient questions pertain to the structure, function, and risks associated with peptide therapy. The quality of the information is heterogeneous. Clinical Relevance Because of the increasing popularity and accessibility, improved technology, and limited research, physicians should be aware of the most common online patient questions pertaining to peptide therapy in orthopaedics. Care should be taken when presenting the impact of peptides without discussing the quality to avoid overvaluing its impact.
DOI: 10.1002/ars2.70084
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,000
OpenAlex ID: W7225650459