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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

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Topical glyceryl trinitrate for rotator cuff disease.

Miranda Cumpston¹, Renea V Johnston, Lainie Wengier

¹Monash Institute of Health Services Research, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Locked Bag 29, Clayton, Victoria, Australia, 3168.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|July 10, 2009

Summary

Topical glyceryl trinitrate may reduce pain in acute rotator cuff disease, but evidence is limited. Headache is a common side effect, and more research is needed to confirm effectiveness and safety.

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Area of Science:

Orthopedics
Pain Management
Pharmacology

Background:

Rotator cuff disease is a prevalent cause of shoulder pain.
Topical glyceryl trinitrate presents a potential novel therapeutic option.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical glyceryl trinitrate for treating rotator cuff disease.

Main Methods:

Systematic search of multiple databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and PEDro.
Inclusion of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials comparing topical glyceryl trinitrate with placebo or active treatments.
Independent data extraction and risk of bias assessment by two authors.

Main Results:

Three small studies (one moderate, two high risk of bias) were included; meta-analysis was not feasible.

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One placebo-controlled trial in acute supraspinatus tendinitis (<7 days) showed reduced pain with glyceryl trinitrate (5 mg patches, 3 days).

Headache was reported in 15/24 participants receiving glyceryl trinitrate; effectiveness for chronic conditions and function remains uncertain.

Conclusions:

Limited evidence suggests topical glyceryl trinitrate may be effective for acute rotator cuff disease (<7 days duration).
Insufficient data exists regarding longer-term effects and effectiveness in chronic conditions.
The benefits of glyceryl trinitrate must be weighed against the risk of side effects like headache; further high-quality research is warranted.