A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical study was performed to determine the short-term efficacy of subacromial injection of corticosteroids for the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome. 40 patients were randomized to receive either 6 milliliters of 1 per cent lidocaine without epinephrine (the control group) or 2 milliliters containing 40 milligrams of triamcinolone acetonide per milliliter with 4 milliliters of 1 per cent lidocaine without epinephrine (the corticosteroid group). The patients were re-examined serially until completion of the study. 19 patients, whose mean age was 56 years (range, 32 to 80 years), were randomized to the corticosteroid group, and 21 patients, whose mean age was 57 years (range, 32 to 81 years), were randomized to the control group. The mean duration of symptoms before the injection was 8 months for both groups. 18 patients in the corticosteroid group and 19 patients in the control group had moderate or severe pain before the injection. At the most recent follow-up evaluation, at a mean of 33 weeks for the corticosteroid group and 28 weeks for the control group, 3 patients in the corticosteroid group had moderate or severe pain, compared with 15 patients in the control group. The mean active range of forward elevation and external rotation improved by 24 and 11 degrees, respectively, for the corticosteroid group and by 10 and 5 degrees, respectively, for the control group. We concluded that subacromial injection of corticosteroids is an effective short-term therapy for the treatment of symptomatic subacromial impingement syndrome. The use of such injections can substantially decrease pain and increase the range of motion of the shoulder.
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A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical study was performed to determine the short-term efficacy of subacromial injection of corticosteroids for the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome. 40 patients were randomized to receive either 6 milliliters of 1 per cent lidocaine without epinephrine (the control group) or 2 milliliters containing 40 milligrams of triamcinolone acetonide per milliliter with 4 milliliters of 1 per cent lidocaine without epinephrine (the corticosteroid group). The patients were re-examined serially until completion of the study. 19 patients, whose mean age was 56 years (range, 32 to 80 years), were randomized to the corticosteroid group, and 21 patients, whose mean age was 57 years (range, 32 to 81 years), were randomized to the control group. The mean duration of symptoms before the injection was 8 months for both groups. 18 patients in the corticosteroid group and 19 patients in the control group had moderate or severe pain before the injection. At the most recent follow-up evaluation, at a mean of 33 weeks for the corticosteroid group and 28 weeks for the control group, 3 patients in the corticosteroid group had moderate or severe pain, compared with 15 patients in the control group. The mean active range of forward elevation and external rotation improved by 24 and 11 degrees, respectively, for the corticosteroid group and by 10 and 5 degrees, respectively, for the control group. We concluded that subacromial injection of corticosteroids is an effective short-term therapy for the treatment of symptomatic subacromial impingement syndrome. The use of such injections can substantially decrease pain and increase the range of motion of the shoulder.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.