LOCAL CORTICOSTEROID INJECTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF ROTATOR CUFF TENDINITIS (EXCEPT FOR FROZEN SHOULDER AND CALCIFIC TENDINITIS)

Objective: This review discusses the efficacy of local corticosteroid injections in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis (except for fro zen shoulder and calcific tendinitis) according to the controlled stud ies published in the literature. Stuty selection: All controlled studi es (13) published between 1955 and 1993 have been included in this rev iew. However, this work is not a metaanalysis because these studies ar e not comparable. Data synthesis: Several studies are open to criticis m. Local corticosteroid injections seem to be more effective than plac ebo and oral non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, especially for pain . Several questions remain unanswered: the true position of this treat ment in the therapeutic strategy of rotator cuff tendinitis, the long term efficacy and deleterious effects of local corticosteroid injectio ns and the optimal technique and number of injections. Conclusion: Loc al corticosteroid injections seem to be effective in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis. However, a controlled study more closely refl ecting clinical practice is needed to confirm these data.