Joint distension arthrography for disabling hip pain. A controlled clinical trial

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of rheumatology Vol. 14; no. 2; p. 179
• Main Authors: Høilund-Carlsen, P F, Meinicke, J, Christiansen, B, Karle, A K, Stage, P, Uhrenholdt, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 1985
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomechanical Phenomena; Clinical Trials as Topic; Double-Blind Method; Female; Hip Joint - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Joint Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Joint Diseases - physiopathology; Joint Diseases - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Pain Management; Radiography
• ISSN: 0300-9742
• DOI: 10.3109/03009748509165502

Thirty-eight patients (age 27-73 years) with unilateral hip pain, restricted movement of the hip joint and radiologically no or only slight osteoarthrosis were studied in a double-blind controlled clinical trial. Twenty-one patients received active treatment with hip joint distension arthrography and 17 received placebo treatment. All patients were assessed clinically on entry, the day after and 3 months after treatment. The incidences of subjective improvement were similar in the two groups. Apart from a slight deterioration in the treated group of hip flexion, abduction and lateral rotation at the one-day assessment, neither group showed any change in the registered movements of the hip joint compared with the assessment on entry. The measured intermalleolar distance at maximal straight-leg abduction was the sole variable which tended to increase (p = 0.05) 3 months after active treatment. Thus, the therapeutic effect of a single treatment with joint distension seems to be dubious.