Efficacy of Corticosteroid Injection in Shoulder Pain in Indian Population: A Randomized Control Trial

Shoulder pain is a prevalent muscle-skeletal condition that substantially impacts patients' quality of life. The majority of shoulder pain cases are satisfactorily addressed by conservative treatments such as physical therapy and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In patients unresponsive to these treatment, local corticosteroid injections are frequently advised. Notwithstanding its prevalent application, there exists a lack of rigorous, highly qualified studies evaluating the effectiveness of corticosteroid injections, especially within the Indian population. This randomized control trial seeks to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroid injections in treating shoulder pain among the Indian population.

This randomized controlled trial involving 76 patients diagnosed with shoulder pain. We randomly assigned the individuals into two groups. Group 1 (n = 38) had a 2 ml (80 mg) injection of methylprednisolone acetate into the joint, followed by physiotherapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). Group 2 (n = 38) got just physiotherapy and NSAIDs. Outcomes were assessed with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) score at many intervals: Baseline, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months following treatment.

Both groups exhibited substantial enhancement in SPADI scores over time. Group 1's average SPADI score enhanced from 40.42% ± 11.98% to 23.34% ± 5.84% at the 6-month mark, whereas Group 2's score improved from 42.89% ± 13.27% to 23.45% ± 10.02%. Group 1 had markedly superior short-term improvement at 1 week (P = 0.033), 2 weeks (P = 0.010), and 1 month (P = 0.008) in comparison to Group 2. Nonetheless, no substantial difference in outcomes was observed between the groups at the 3-month (P = 0.449) and 6-month (P = 0.956) follow-ups. Group 1 encountered minor complications, comprising pain (34.21%) and dizziness (13.16%).

Corticosteroid injections offer greater short-term advantages in the management of shoulder discomfort than conservative treatment alone. Nonetheless, after 3 months, we noted no substantial long-term disparities between the two groups.