| Methods |
Randomised, controlled trial
Blinding: both participants and outcome assessors were blinded.
Loss to follow‐up: no loss reported
Appropriate statistical analysis: yes, intention to treat. |
| Participants |
100 patients Inclusion criteria: Rotator cuff tendonitis defined as having at least 2 of:
1. painful abduction at any degree of motion
2. painful arc of movement from 45 to 120 degrees
3. tenderness of supraspinatus tendon insertion.
Exclusion criteria: significant glenohumeral arthritis, supraspinatus injection during preceding 3 months, reason to suspect rotator cuff tear, contraindication to NSAIDS, allergy to lidocaine; frozen shoulder as defined by marked restriction of both active and passive motion that did not improve with lidocaine injection |
| Interventions |
Group 1(25 patients): 500mg naproxen 2 x day for 30 days plus subacromial bursa injection 4cc 1% lidocaine Group 2(25 patients): 500mg naproxen 2x day for 30 days plus subacromial bursa injection of 3cc 1% lidocaine + 1cc 40mg/ml triamcinolone.
Group 3(25 patients): placebo pill 2x day for 30 days plus injection with 3cc 1% lidocaine + 1cc 40mg/ml triamcinolone
Group 4(25 patients): placebo pill 2x day for 30 days plus injection with 4cc 1% lidocaine.
All patients received instructions in range‐of‐motion exercises |
| Outcomes |
Assessed at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks
1) Pain on a linear scale where 0 = worst and 5 = best
2) Patient grading of limitation of function on linear scale where 0=worst and 5=best
3) degree of active abduction
4) clinical index ‐ 3 above factors combined, with equal weight (abduction range in degrees divided by 36) where high clinical index represents good outcome
5) remission defined as perfect score in active abduction, pain and limitation of function |
| Notes |
See analyses 2, 11, 16.
Standard error of means converted to standard deviations. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Low risk |
A ‐ Adequate |
