Diabetes as a Prognostic Factor in Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Endocrinology
• Prognosis

Background:

• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a debilitating condition affecting shoulder mobility.
• The impact of diabetes mellitus on frozen shoulder prognosis is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review longitudinal observational studies.
• To determine if diabetes (types 1 and 2) is associated with worse frozen shoulder outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of 11 databases.
• Included longitudinal studies comparing frozen shoulder patients with and without diabetes.
• Assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognostic Factor Studies tool.

Main Results:

• Twenty-eight studies were included; 21 had high risk of bias.
• Diabetes was associated with worse clinical scores (moderate certainty).
• Diabetes showed association with worse pain (low certainty) and range of motion (very low certainty).

Conclusions:

• Preliminary evidence suggests diabetes may worsen frozen shoulder outcomes.
• Clinicians should consider closer monitoring for diabetic patients with frozen shoulder.
• High-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings and guide treatment.