Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Trigger Finger: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Control Trials

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Rheumatology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Stenosing tenosynovitis, commonly known as trigger digits, affects hand function.
• Treatment options for trigger digits include conservative management and surgical intervention.
• Corticosteroid injections are a frequently used minimally invasive treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of corticosteroid injections for treating stenosing tenosynovitis.
• To provide an evidence-based overview by analyzing randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus).
• Keywords used were 'stenosing tenosynovitis' or 'trigger finger' combined with 'injections'.
• A random-effects model was employed for meta-analysis to determine pooled treatment failure rates (Odds Ratio and Relative Risk) with 95% confidence intervals.

Main Results:

• Six RCTs involving 368 participants were included.
• Successful treatment rates were 63.68% for corticosteroid injections versus 27.53% for control injections.
• The pooled Relative Risk for treatment failure was 0.49 (95% CI 0.40-0.60) and Odds Ratio was 0.18 (95% CI 0.08-0.44), favoring corticosteroid injections.
• Complications were reported as mild or absent in all included studies.

Conclusions:

• Corticosteroid injections demonstrate superior outcomes compared to control injections for stenosing tenosynovitis.
• This meta-analysis provides robust evidence supporting the efficacy of corticosteroid injections with a favorable safety profile.