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No difference between corticosteroids, saline injection at 6 months on elbow pain
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SAN FRANCISCO — A new study indicates that corticosteroid injection has no impact on lateral elbow pain and that depression and ineffective coping skills are the strongest predictors of perceived disability.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Marjolijn Henket, MD, and colleagues compared the results of 64 patients who received either dexamethasone or placebo injection for lateral elbow pain. The investigators assessed patients' baseline measures for pain, grip strength and disability using the DASH score, and also evaluated depression and ineffective coping skills. At 1 and 6 months postinjection, they reassessed pain, grip strength and DASH scores.
Henket presented the results of the study here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 75th Annual Meeting.
A comparison of the groups revealed no significant differences in patient demographics and baseline scores. An intention-to-treat analysis also revealed no significant differences between the groups regarding pain, grip strength or DASH scores at 1 and 6 months follow-up.
"We did a multivariate analysis and found out that the people who score high on the depression scale and score high on low coping skills for pain are [the same] people who keep on having a high disability and keep on scoring high on the pain score at 1 month and also at 6 months," Henket said during her presentation.
For more information:
- Henket M, Lindenhovius AL, Lozano-Calderon SA, et al. Corticosteroid injection for lateral elbow pain: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Paper #241. Presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 75th Annual Meeting. March 5-9, 2008. San Francisco.