Explore the vast range of titles available.

ObjectivesGuidelines recommend intra-articular glucocorticoid injection in patients with painful hip osteoarthritis. However, intra-articular hip injection is an invasive procedure. The efficacy of systemic glucocorticoid treatment for pain reduction in hip osteoarthritis is unknown. This randomised, double-blind, trial assessed effectiveness in hip pain reduction of an intramuscular glucocorticoid injection compared with a placebo injection in patients with hip osteoarthritis.MethodsPatients with painful hip osteoarthritis were randomised to either 40 mg triamcinolone acetate or placebo with an intramuscular injection into the gluteus muscle. The primary outcomes were severity of hip pain at rest, during walking (0–10) and WOMAC pain at 2-week postinjection. We used linear mixed models for repeated measurements at 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks for the intention-to-treat data analysis.ResultsOf the 107 patients randomised, 106 could be analysed (52 in the glucocorticoid group, 54 in the placebo group). At 2-week follow-up, compared with placebo injection, the intramuscular glucocorticoid injection showed a significant and clinically relevant difference in hip pain reduction at rest (difference −1.3, 95% CI −2.3 to −0.3). This effect persisted for the entire 12-week follow-up. For hip pain during walking, the effect was present at 4-week, 6-week and 12-week follow-ups, and for WOMAC pain the effect was present at 6-week and 12-week follow-up.ConclusionsAn intramuscular glucocorticoid injection showed effectiveness in patients with hip osteoarthritis on one of the three primary outcomes at 2-week postinjection. All primary outcomes showed effectiveness from 4 to 6 weeks, up to a 12-week follow-up.Trial registration numberNTR2966.

Background Lumbar herniated disc (HNP) is mainly treated by conservative management. Epidural steroid injection (ESI) has been an option to treat failed cases prior to surgery. Triamcinolone has been widely used due to its efficacy in bringing about pain reduction for up to three months. However, several reports have shown some severe adverse events. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is made from blood through centrifugation. Several studies supported the potential short to long-term effects, and safety of PRP injection in treating HNP. The study objective was to evaluate the efficacy of PRP in treatment of single-level lumbar HNP in comparison to triamcinolone. Methods Thirty patients were treated by transforaminal epidural injections. PRP was obtained from 24 ml venous blood through standardized double-spin protocol. Participants included fifteen patients each being in triamcinolone and PRP groups. The same postoperative protocols and medications were applied. The visual analogue scale of leg (LegVAS), collected at baseline, 2, 6, 12, and 24 weeks, was the primary outcome. The BackVAS, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), adverse event, and treatment failure were the secondary endpoints. Results Platelet ratio of PRP in fifteen patients was 2.86 ± 0.85. Patients treated by PRP injections showed statistically and clinically significant reduction in LegVAS at 6, 12, and 24 weeks, and in ODI at 24 weeks. It demonstrated comparable results on other aspects. No adverse event occurred in either group. Conclusion Noncommercial epidural double-spin PRP yielded superior results to triamcinolone. Due to its efficacy and safety, the procedure is recommended in treating single level lumbar HNP. Trial registration NCT, NCT05234840. Registered 1 January 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT05234840 .

ObjectiveThe aim of this work is to compare the effectiveness of blind and ultrasound-guided injection for Morton’s neuroma (MN) to determine which is more appropriate as the initial procedure in conservative treatment.MethodsThis is an evaluator-blinded randomised trial. Of the 56 included patients, 27 were assigned to the blind group (A) and 29 to the ultrasound-guided group (B). Injection includes 1 ml of 2% mepivacaine and 40 mg of triamcinolone in each web space with MN. The included patients were assessed clinically by VAS score and the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Score (MFPDS). The follow-up was performed at 15 days, 1 month, 45 days, 2 months, 3 months and 6 months after the initial injection.ResultsNo differences in age or clinical measurements were found at presentation between group A and group B. At the follow-up, the ultrasound-guided group showed greater symptomatic relief at several stages of the follow-up: 45 days (VAS 3.0 ± 0.5 versus 5.5 ± 0.5, p = 0.001; MFPDS: 32.2 ± 1.8 versus 38.8 ± 2.0, p = 0.018), 2 months (VAS: 3.1 ± 0.5 versus 5.6 ± 0.5, p = 0.002; MFPDS: 31.5 ± 1.9 versus 38.5 ± 2.1, p = 0.020) and 3 months (VAS: 3.1 ± 0.4 versus 5.2 ± 0.6, p = 0.010; MFPDS: 31.2 ± 1.9 versus 37.7 ± 2.4, p = 0.047).ConclusionInjection of MN under ultrasound guidance provides a statistically significant improvement at some stages of the follow-up (45 days, 2 and 3 months), compared with blind injection.Key Points• Ultrasound-guided steroid injections in Morton’s neuroma provide short-term pain relief to over 60% of the patients.• Ultrasound-guided injections in Morton’s neuroma lead to a higher percentage of short-term pain relief than blind injections.• Ultrasound-guided injections in Morton’s neuroma lead to a lower percentage of skin side effects than blind injections.

Abstract Background Transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESI) are commonly employed to treat lumbosacral radiculopathy. Despite anti-inflammatory properties, the addition of 3% hypertonic saline has not been studied. Objective Compare the effectiveness of adding 0.9% NaCl (N-group) vs. 3% NaCl (H-group) in TFESI performed for lumbosacral radiculopathy. Methods This retrospective study compared TFESI performed with lidocaine, triamcinolone and 0.9% NaCl vs. lidocaine, triamcinolone and 3% NaCl. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who experienced a ≥ 30% reduction in pain on a verbal rating scale (VRS; 0–100) at 3 months. Secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients who improved by at least 30% for pain at 1 and 6 months, and who experienced ≥15% from baseline on the Oswestry disability index (ODI) at follow-up. Results The H-group experienced more successful pain outcomes than the N-group at 3 months (59.09% vs. 41.51%; P = .002) but not at 1 month (67.53% vs. 64.78%; P = .61) or 6 months (27.13% vs 21.55%: P = .31). For functional outcome, there was a higher proportion of responders in the H-group than the N-group at 3 months (70.31% vs. 53.46%; P = .002). Female, age ≤ 60 years, and duration of pain ≤ 6 months were associated with superior outcomes at the 3-month endpoint. Although those with a herniated disc experienced better outcomes in general with TFESI, the only difference favoring the H-group was for spondylolisthesis patients. Conclusions 3% hypertonic saline is a viable alternative to normal saline as an adjunct for TFESI, with randomized studies needed to compare its effectiveness to steroids as a possible alternative. Registration Thai Clinical Trials Registry ID TCTR 20231110006

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pulsed dye laser (PDL) alone, the combination of PDL and botulinum toxin type A (BTA) injection, and the combination of PDL and triamcinolone injection in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. In this three-arm, single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 10 patients over 18 years old with hypertrophic scars or keloids were enrolled. Each patient had at least 3 lesions, each measuring at least 10 × 10 square centimeters or 10 centimeters long. In the first treatment session, each of the 3 lesions was randomly assigned to one of three interventions: PDL (control), PDL with BTA injection (at a concentration of 2 units/cm 2 ), or PDL with triamcinolone injection (20 mg/cc). All the interventions carried out in the groups have been repeated in three sessions. One follow-up visit took place one month after the last session, without any intervention. Clinical images of the lesions were collected during the treatment sessions. A blinded dermatologist assessed the effectiveness of the treatment using a physician global assessment score and the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). Patient satisfaction and any side effects were recorded during follow-up visits. The average age of the cases under consideration was 36.00 ± 13.23 years. In terms of gender, 4 out of the cases (40.00%) were females. During the initial session, the mean VSS scores in the PDL, PDL–BTA, and PDL–Triamcinolone groups were 7.90 ± 1.52, 7.10 ± 0.56, and 7.30 ± 0.24, subsequently. These scores decreased to 7.30 ± 1.34, 4.90 ± 1.37, and 4.30 ± 0.95 in the PDL, PDL–BTA, and PDL–Triamcinolone groups, respectively ( P  = 0.001). The group that received both PDL and BTA showed the most significant enhancement in pliability ( P  = 0.001) and regarding scar vascularity and height the most improvement was related to PDL-triamcinolone group ( P  = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). In addition, the level of physician’s satisfaction in the PDL–BTA and PDL–Triamcinolone groups were significantly higher than in the PDL group ( P  = 0.004). However, no significant difference was seen between the combined treatments. Finally, no significant side effects were observed in the studied methods during various treatment sessions. The findings of the study revealed that utilizing a combination of two modalities yielded better outcomes compared to a single treatment approach. Specifically, the combination of PDL and BTA demonstrated greater improvement in scar pliability. On the other hand, when considering scar vascularity and height, the combination of PDL with triamcinolone exhibited more significant enhancement. What’s already known about this topic? • Hypertrophic and keloid scars are often characterized by unsightly appearances and impose numerous restrictions on patients. Various treatments have been suggested for these skin lesions, each associated with different levels of effectiveness in promoting recovery. • The pulsed dye laser is an effective treatment option for vascular lesions, hypertrophic scars, and keloids. It is associated with improvements in color, reduction in height, and increased flexibility. What does this study add? • The combined treatment of PDL and BTA (at a dose of 2 units per square centimeters) is an effective option for treating hypertrophic scars and keloids. This combination is more effective than using pulsed dye laser alone and can serve as a novel treatment approach for these conditions. • The combined treatment of PDL and triamcinolone injection (at a concentration of 20 mg per 1 ml, with 1 ml injected for each lesion) is an effective option for managing hypertrophic and keloid scars. This approach is more effective than using PDL alone and can significantly improve hypertrophic and keloid scars. • The combination of PDL and triamcinolone injection, when compared to the combination of PDL and BTA injection, results in a more significant improvement in VSS reduction, especially regarding scar vascularity and height. • The greatest improvement in pliability was observed in the group that received PDL and BTA, followed by the group that received PDL and triamcinolone, while the group receiving PDL only showed the least improvement.

An effective treatment strategy for pediatric hypertrophic burn scars has yet to be established. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a dynamic treatment approach that combines non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) therapy with intralesional triamcinolone (TAC) injections for post-burn hypertrophic scars in children. Participants were assigned to three groups: the combination treatment group (22 patients), the laser-only group (19 patients), and the triamcinolone-only group (17 patients). After a 6-month follow-up period, all three groups demonstrated a significant decrease in the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (m-VSS) scores compared to their pre-treatment values, with the combination group experiencing the most substantial reduction. The median post-treatment m-VSS score in the combination group was significantly lower than in the laser-only and triamcinolone-only groups (5 vs. 7 vs. 9, P  = 0.003). The obvious effective rate of combination group was 54.5%, significantly higher than that of laser group (26.3%) and injection group (23.5%) ( P  = 0.012). Combining non-ablative fractional laser therapy with intralesional triamcinolone injections is an effective and safe treatment for post-burn hypertrophic scars in children. This approach significantly alleviates pain and itching, resulting in high levels of satisfaction among both physicians and patients, warranting clinical recommendation. Clinical trial registration This randomized parallel-controlled trial was retrospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR; http://www.chictr.org.cn ) on February 11, 2025 (Registration Number: ChiCTR2500097051).

Objectives To investigate whether a treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular glucocorticosteroid injections suppresses MRI inflammation and halts structural damage progression in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), and whether adalimumab provides an additional effect. Methods In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 85 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve patients with ERA were randomised to receive methotrexate, intra-articular glucocorticosteroid injections and placebo/adalimumab (43/42). Contrast-enhanced MRI of the right hand was performed at months 0, 6 and 12. Synovitis, osteitis, tenosynovitis, MRI bone erosion and joint space narrowing (JSN) were scored with validated methods. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was carried out in 14 patients. Results Synovitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis scores decreased highly significantly (p<0.0001) during the 12-months’ follow-up, with mean change scores of −3.7 (median −3.0), −2.2 (−1) and −5.3 (−4.0), respectively. No overall change in MRI bone erosion and JSN scores was seen, with change scores of 0.1 (0) and 0.2 (0). The tenosynovitis score at month 6 was significantly lower in the adalimumab group, 1.3 (0), than in the placebo group, 3.9 (2), Mann–Whitney: p<0.035. Furthermore, the osteitis score decreased significantly during the 12-months’ follow-up in the adalimumab group, but not in the placebo group, Wilcoxon: p=0.001–0.002 and p=0.062–0.146. DCE-MRI parameters correlated closely with conventional MRI inflammatory parameters. Clinical measures decreased highly significantly during follow-up. Conclusions A treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular glucocorticosteroid in patients with ERA effectively decreased synovitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis and halted structural damage progression as judged by MRI. The findings suggest that addition of adalimumab is associated with further suppression of osteitis and tenosynovitis.