2017 ISAKOS Biennial Congress Paper #253

 

Short Term Outcome of Double Side Injections of Betamethasone for the Treatment of Early Stage Idiopathic Frozen Shoulder

Kanglai Tang, MD, PhD, Prof., Chongqing, Chongqing CHINA
Pao Li, MD, Chongqing, Chongqing CHINA

Department of Orthopedics, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing, Chongqing, CHINA

FDA Status Cleared

Summary

Double side injections of betamethasone for the treatment of early stage idiopathic frozen shoulder could effectively relieve pain and improve the functions of shoulder .

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of double side injections (glenohumeral cavity and subacromial injection) of betamethasone for the treatment of early stage idiopathic frozen shoulder(FS).
METHODS:The patients with idiopathic FS (n=126) were randomized into 3 groups.The patients include 48 men and 78 women aged 40 to 68 years.Group A were treated with double side injections of 1ml betamethasone and 5ml lidocaine,once a week for 5 weeks;Group B were injected with 1ml betamethasone and 5ml lidocaine in glenohumeral cavity only,once a week for 5 weeks;Group C were treated with NSAIDs drugs (celecoxib) 200 mg orally once daily for 5 weeks.
Thereafter all groups underwent a standardised physiotherapy treatment and compared with each other. The patients were assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Constant-Murley score and range of motion 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months after the intervention.

Results

No significant effect of VAS score on short-term outcome between group A and group B was found, while VAS score has significant difference for Group C compared with group A and group B, and there was a significant mean loss for Group C at latest follow-up.There were significant differences among the three groups in the Contsant score and the abduction range of shoulder joint, and group A surpass group B, group B surpass group C obviously.
CONCLUSION:Double side injections of betamethasone for the treatment of early stage idiopathic frozen shoulder could effectively relieve pain and improve the functions of shoulder .Although patients benefitted from both techniques, double side injections of betamethasone is superior to arthrocentesis with intra-articular injection in glenohumeral cavity alone and oral treatment of NSAIDs drugs.