Comparison of extracorporal shock wave therapy with radiotherapy for supraspinatus tendinitis - Randomised prospective single-blind trial with two-sample parallel-group design

Aim: Extracorporal shock wave therapy (FSWT) is applied in the case of supr aspinatus tendinitis if conservative therapies have failed. So far there ha s been no controlled study comparing the effectiveness of ESWT with an esta blished conservative method of therapy such as X-ray stimulation radiothera py. Method: Thirty patients with chronic supraspinatus tendinitis were admi tted into the prospective randomised study. After randomisation, the patien ts were treated either three times with 2000 pulses (energy flux density ED + 0.33 mJ/mm(2)) with a Storz Minilith SU after one week, or with X-ray sti mulation radiotherapy with 6 x 0.5 Gy on the ICRU reference point (1 neutra l fraction/day) with cobalt 60 gamma rays. Primary endpoint was the age-cor rected constant score. Results: In the ESWT group the average age-corrected constant score rose from 50.1 points before ESWT to 91.5 points after 12 w eeks and to 97.8 after 52 weeks. in the radiotherapy group it improved from 47.6 through 79.5 points to 87.4 points. Conclusion: No statistically sign ificant differences were proven between ESWT and radiotherapy. ESWT appears to be at least equivalent to radiotherapy in treating chronic supraspinatu s tendinitis syndrome and can avoid a dose of radiation for patients and st aff. A comprehensive randomised study is, however necessary to ensure the e quivalence of ESWT.