Clinical outcome of ultrasound-guided steroid injections for chronic shoulder pain

• Published in: International journal of rheumatic diseases Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 398 - 402
• Main Authors: Dimitroulas, Theodoros, Hirsch, George, Kitas, George D., Klocke, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Chronic Disease; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Injections, Intra-Articular; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Shoulder Joint - diagnostic imaging; shoulder pain; Shoulder Pain - diagnostic imaging; Shoulder Pain - drug therapy; Steroids - administration & dosage; Steroids - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography; ultrasound guided steroid injections; shoulder pain; ultrasound guided steroid injections
• ISSN: 1756-1841; 1756-185X
• DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.12023

Aim To investigate the short‐ to medium‐term effectiveness of ultrasound (US)‐guided steroid injections for shoulder pain in patients who previously failed to respond to unguided steroid injections. Methods We examined 60 consecutive patients who had undergone US examination and US‐guided steroid injection. Patients were categorised into having had a good response (i.e., good pain relief at time of follow‐up), some response (improvement for 2–4 weeks) or no response, as documented by their usual rheumatologist in their subsequent routine out‐patient review appointments. Results Average age was 64.4 ± 11.5 years and 42 were female. Median interval between US‐guided injection and follow‐up was four (interquartile range 2–5) months. Thirty‐four (56.6%) patients reported a good response, 13 (21.7%) some response and another 13 (21.7%) no response. Conclusions US guidance of steroid injections may achieve good short‐ to medium‐term benefit in the majority of patients with chronic shoulder pain due to a variety of clinical syndromes.