This 2005 narrative review synthesizes evidence on the formulations, mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and safety of injectable depot corticosteroids for both intra-articular (osteoarthritis, RA) and extra-articular (tendinopathy, bursitis, nerve compression) musculoskeletal conditions, drawing on meta-analyses, RCTs, and survey data to guide modern practice.
When offering intra-articular corticosteroids for knee OA or inflammatory arthritis, repeat injections every 3 months are evidence-based and safe long-term — but prioritize confirmed intra-articular placement, since missing the joint cuts your response rate nearly in half.
For soft-tissue applications like trigger finger or carpal tunnel, corticosteroids clearly outperform anesthetic alone short-term, but counsel patients that durability beyond 3–6 months is limited and formulation choice matters (avoid low-solubility agents in superficial soft tissue to reduce atrophy risk).
This 2005 narrative review synthesizes evidence on the formulations, mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and safety of injectable depot corticosteroids for both intra-articular (osteoarthritis, RA) and extra-articular (tendinopathy, bursitis, nerve compression) musculoskeletal conditions, drawing on meta-analyses, RCTs, and survey data to guide modern practice.
When offering intra-articular corticosteroids for knee OA or inflammatory arthritis, repeat injections every 3 months are evidence-based and safe long-term — but prioritize confirmed intra-articular placement, since missing the joint cuts your response rate nearly in half.
For soft-tissue applications like trigger finger or carpal tunnel, corticosteroids clearly outperform anesthetic alone short-term, but counsel patients that durability beyond 3–6 months is limited and formulation choice matters (avoid low-solubility agents in superficial soft tissue to reduce atrophy risk).