Ultrasound-Guided Hydrodilatation Versus Corticosteroid Injection for Adhesive Capsulitis: A Pilot Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Musculoskeletal Medicine
• Interventional Pain Management

Background:

• Adhesive capsulitis, a common cause of shoulder stiffness and pain, significantly impacts patient function.
• Current treatment options for adhesive capsulitis include intra-articular corticosteroid injection (IAI) and hydrodilatation (HD).
• There is a need to compare the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of these interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of ultrasound-guided hydrodilatation (HD) compared to intra-articular corticosteroid injection (IAI).
• To assess outcomes at six weeks post-intervention in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-blind, randomized comparative pilot study.
• Twenty patients with adhesive capsulitis were randomized to receive either HD (n=10) or IAI (n=10).
• Primary outcomes included Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), QuickDASH, pain VAS, and range of motion (ROM) at six weeks.

Main Results:

• No significant between-group differences were observed in pain VAS, SPADI scores, QuickDASH scores, or ROM at six weeks.
• Both HD and IAI groups demonstrated improvements in pain and function at the six-week follow-up.
• P-values for VAS, SPADI-Pain, SPADI-Disability, and QuickDASH were 0.36, 0.325, 0.1602, and 0.437, respectively.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study found no short-term differences in effectiveness between ultrasound-guided HD and IAI for adhesive capsulitis.
• Both interventions led to improvements in pain and function within six weeks.
• Larger studies with longer follow-up are warranted to determine optimal treatment strategies for adhesive capsulitis.