Br J Sports Med. Published Online First: 28 February 2008. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2007.041285
Paper |
Effect of Glucocorticosteroid Injections in Tennis Elbow Verified on Colour Doppler Ultrasound: Evidence of Inflammation
1 Statens Serum Institut, Denmark
2 Frederiksberg Hospital, Denmark
3 Bispebjerg Hospital, Denmark
4 frederiksberg Hospital, Denmark
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: stp{at}frh.regionh.dk.
Accepted 9 February 2008
Abstract
Objectives: It has previously been reported that lateral epicondylitis may be diagnosed with colour Doppler by detecting hyperaemia inside the common extensor origin (CEO). In this study, we report on the association between ultrasound (US) Doppler findings and the short-term response of US-guided corticosteroid injection in patients with LE.
Design: Case-only, blinded intervention study.
Setting: Secondary care at government hospital.
Patients: 62 patients with LE verified by colour Doppler.
Intervention: One US-guided corticosteroid injection was given into the CEO.
Main Outcome Measurements: Patients were evaluated at baseline before the injection and at two weeks follow-up. Outcome was changes in pain score and US parameters (resistive index (RI) and amount of colour within the CEO). Prognosticators for outcome were: Use of computer mouse, symptom duration, elbow strain, RI, colour fraction, Likert pain score, rest pain, pain at activity, age, height, weight, disease in dominant versus nondominant arm.
Results: All but one patient experienced improvement of general elbow pain perception at two weeks follow-up. In parallel, Doppler US showed significant reduction in colour fraction (baseline 0.14 ± 0.10, at follow-up 0.02 ± 0.02, p<0.0001). All but five patients showed a decrease in colour fraction – 74 % decreased to 0. No clinical or US parameter could distinguish responders from non-responders.
Conclusion: Corticosteroid injection has marked short term effect on pain and Doppler parameters. We interpret the reduction in hyperaemia mediated by an anti-inflammatory drug as evidence of an inflammatory component in LE.
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
Relevant Article
- Treating low back pain: Alexander technique and exercise, antibiotics (!) and Paul Hodges on dynamic stability
- Karim M Khan
Br. J. Sports Med. 2008 42: 939-940.[Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]
This article has been cited by other articles:
-
Khan, K. M
(2008). Treating low back pain: Alexander technique and exercise, antibiotics (!) and Paul Hodges on dynamic stability. Br. J. Sports. Med.
42: 939-940
[Full Text]
- Full Text (Rapid PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
bjsm.2007.041285v1
bjsm.2007.041285v2
42/12/978 most recent - Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
-
Author home page(s):
Tobias Emil Torp-Pedersen
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
