A prospective, randomized, blinded study on the efficacy of using corticosteroids in hydrodilatation as a treatment for adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare hydrodilatation with or without corticosteroid administration on the outcomes of patients with shoulder adhesive capsulitis. This was a prospective, randomized, blinded study of 82 patients with adhesive capsulitis treated with hydrodilatation with corticosteroids (HDC) or without corticosteroids (HDA). Assessments were performed at 48 h and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Pain in HDC patients was significantly lower after 48 h of treatment than that of HDA, and the functional scales were better after the first month. These differences were maintained after 1 year. (visual analog scale: 0.8 <i>vs.</i> 1.6, <i>p</i> = 0.018; shoulder pain and disability index: 4.8 <i>vs.</i> 9.8, <i>p</i> = 0.003; simple shoulder test: 11.4 <i>vs.</i> 8.7, <i>p</i> = 0.008; subjective shoulder value: 96.6 <i>vs.</i> 90.1, <i>p</i> = 0.024). We found that hydrodilatation with corticosteroids improved pain levels, shoulder function, and subjective perception of shoulder status compared to hydrodilatation without corticosteroids.