Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 3, 2025
Author Spotlight: Ultrasound-Guided Needle Release Combined with Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Supinator Syndrome
Published on: May 26, 2023
Symptomatic COVID-19 infections in outpatient image-guided corticosteroid injection patients during the lockdown
Connie Y Chang1,2, Anand Prabhakar3,4, Steven J Staffa5,4
1Division of Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 6E, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. cychang@mgh.harvard.edu.
Background:
Musculoskeletal pain is a debilitating problem treated with image-guided corticosteroid injections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple societies issued caution statements because of the unknown effect of corticosteroids on the patient's immune system. The purpose is to determine if image-guided corticosteroid injections administered during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were associated with a higher infection rate compared to the general population.
Materials And Methods:
In a prospective study, patients undergoing image-guided corticosteroid injections for pain management during the lockdown phase between April 15 and May 22, 2020, were enrolled. One month after the injection, patients were surveyed by telephone for any COVID-19-related symptoms, and the electronic medical record (EMR) was reviewed for symptoms and test results.
Results:
Seventy-one subjects were recruited, 31 (44%) females, 40 (56%) males, ages 58 ± 17 (20-92) years. Follow-up was available in 66 (93%) of subjects, 60 (91%) by phone survey and EMR, 6 (9%) by EMR only, 45 ± 22 (19-83) days after injection. One (1/66, 1.52%; 95% CI 0.04-8.2%) 25-year-old male subject developed symptomatic infection 19 days after a tibiotalar injection. The prevalence of COVID-19 cases in the state of Massachusetts was 0.91% (62,726/6,892,503) during the study period. There was no significant difference in the rate of occurrence of new cases of COVID-19 infection between the corticosteroid injection group and the general population (p = 0.44).
Conclusion:
Image-guided corticosteroid injections for pain management performed during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic were not associated with a higher infection rate compared to the general population.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Inhaled Corticosteroids and Glucocorticoids
ICS work through a multifaceted mechanism of action. They suppress the inflammatory response caused by the proliferation of TH cells. They also reduce the transcription of the IL-2 gene, which is involved in the...
01:26COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
01:26Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents