Effectiveness of a single corticosteroid injection for chronic rotator cuff tendinosis.

摘要

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a subacromial injection of betametha-sone with xylocaine in comparison with xylocaine alone in improving disease-specific quality of life in patients with chronic rotator cuff disease.Design: Randomized controlled double-blind trial, stratified by occupational or nonwork injuries.Setting: University clinic referrals. Participants: Patients with rotator cuff disease were identified by a history of pain in and about the shoulder and/or lateral deltoid area, and pain with overhead activity. Inclusion criteria were pain on palpation of the cuff and its insertion into the proximal humerus, painful or decreased active range of motion, and a positive Neer impingement sign. Further examination of 91 patients excluded 14 patients with a full-thickness tear on ultrasound evaluation. All patients had not improved with a 2-week trial of NSAIDs and >=6 weeks of physical therapy.