Perineural 5% dextrose versus corticosteroid injection in non-surgical carpal tunnel syndrom treatment

We aimed to investigate the difference of clinical and electrophysiological improvement between perineural corticosteroid injection therapy (PCIT) and perineural 5% dextrose injection therapy (5%PDIT) in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Total of 92 wrists that were diagnosed as mild-to-moderate idiopathic CTS and completed their follow-up were included in our study. The severity of pain, symptom severity and functional status were asses­sed by visual analog scale (VAS) and the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores for treatment effectiveness. Randomized wrists were administered PCIT or 5%PDIT accompanied by ultrasound guidance. VAS, BCTQ scores and the electro­physiological study repeated before and after treatment at the 1st and 6th months after perineural injection therapies (PITs) were recorded.

Compared with baseline data, within groups there was significant improvement in VAS, BCTQ severity and function scores at 1st and 6th months follow-up (all p < 0.001). Considerable advance were detected in the median sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) when pretreatment values were compared with posttreatment first month in both groups (p = 0.01; p < 0.001, respectively). No significant change occurred in median distal motor latency (DML) values between the 1st and 6th months in the groups (p = 0.095; p = 0.113, respectively). No significant difference was observed bet­ween 5%PDIT and PCIT groups.

Clinical and electrophysiologic improvement in CTS began from 1st month after PCIT and 5%PDIT. At the 6th month follow-up of the patients, 5%PDIT and PCIT had similar therapeutic effects. As a result, we can consider the replacement of PCIT with 5%PDIT in mild-to-moderate CTS patients especially in those who are hesitant because of the corticosteroid’s adverse effects.