Comparison of Dextrose Prolotherapy and Triamcinolone Intraarticular Injection on Pain and Function in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis - A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The present study was performed to assess the therapeutic effects of combined intra and extraarticular dextrose prolotherapy on knee osteoarthritis and its comparison with intra- articular triamcinolone injection. Methods: In this study, 50 patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis were allocated into two groups as a double-blind randomized clinical trial. The first group received one session of dextrose prolotherapy as one intra-articular injection of 10cc dextrose 16% and periarticular intradermal injections of dextrose 12% at 4 points around the knee (2.5 cc at each point). The second group underwent therapy with one intra-articular injection of triamcinolone (40 mg). Results: Compared to pretreatment, both interventions caused significant improvement in pain (evaluated by VAS) and WOMAC (all its components) in 1 and 3 months postintervention (all with P-value < 0.005). In the first month, pain reduction was significantly better in corticosteroid group (P-Value 0.002 and 0.048 respectively). In third month post intervention, improvements in VAS and WOMAC components were significantly greater in prolotherapy group. Conclusions: Both methods of corticosteroid and dextrose prolotherapy (combined intra and extraarticular technique) are effective on pain and function of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Compared to corticosteroid, prolotherapy method was associated with less pain reduction in short- term, but its effects were more persistent and in midterm examinations (3 months), it was more effective than corticosteroid.

The Effect of High-Power and Low-Power Lasers on Symptoms and the Nerve Conduction Study in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A Prospective Randomized Single-Blind Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment. Various treatments have been suggested for CTS and there is no consensus on their superiority and the order of their use. Laser therapy is a non-invasive treatment method for many musculoskeletal diseases, including CTS. This study aimed to determine and compare the effect of high-power lasers (HPLs) and low-power lasers (LPLs) on pain severity, function, pinch strength, and nerve conduction study findings in patients aged 30-50 years with mild or moderate CTS. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized, single-blind clinical trial. The study population included 45 patients aged 30-50 years who came to the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic of Shohada-e-Tajrish hospital and mild or moderate CTS was confirmed for them. Patients were randomly assigned to control, LPL therapy, and HPL therapy groups. Pain, function, pinch strength, and nerve conduction study findings were recorded in all groups before, immediately and 12 weeks after the treatment. All data were compared using SPSS version 21. Results: All groups showed improvement regarding pain, function, and pinch strength. Laser therapy showed significantly better results compared to a wrist splint, but no significant difference was seen between high-power and LPL therapy groups. Nerve conduction evaluation findings did not reveal any significant difference. Conclusion: Both the wrist splint and laser therapy can improve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. HPL therapy showed better results, although not significantly different from LPL therapy.

Interesting effectiveness of ozone injection for carpal tunnel syndrome treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper limb. Local injection of different substances has been increasingly used as an acceptable conservative treatment in non-severe cases. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of local ozone injection in the management of non-severe CTS. Methods: In the current randomized controlled trial (RCT), 40 patients with mild or moderate CTS were included in two parallel groups. Both of them used the resting volar wrist splint for 8 weeks; while the intervention group received a single dose of local ozone injection, except for the same splinting protocol. The main outcome measures including visual analog scale (VAS) for pain; symptom severity or functional status, based on Boston questionnaire (BQ); and median nerve conduction study, were reassessed 10 weeks after the treatment. Results: All of the measures including VAS, symptom severity, functional status and EDX improved significantly in both groups with the maximal changes in VAS. The VAS reduction was more remarkable in the ozone group than the control group [64% versus 45.3%, respectively]. Moreover, both of the BQ subscales showed significantly higher improvement in the ozone group compared to the control group (P=0.01 and 0.02, respectively). Although the improvement of EDX parameters was slightly better in the ozone group, the difference was not significant. Neither minor nor major side effects were reported. Conclusion: Ozone therapy as a safe and low-cost method, could provide promising results among women with mild to moderate CTS, at least for short-term treatment. Clinical trial registration: IRCT2016040913442N9.