Abstract
Objective
To compare perineural dextrose injection efficacy in the treatment of ulnar neuropathy
at the elbow with a control group.
Design
Prospective double-blind randomized control study.
Setting
Training and research hospital.
Participants
The study was completed with 40 patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.
Intervention
Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) was injected in patients in the control group
(n=20; mean age=38.1±10.7 years; median duration of symptoms=4.5 months), and 5% dextrose
was injected in patients in the dextrose group (n=20; mean age=43.6±13.5 years; median
duration of symptoms=5 months), perineurally under ultrasound guidance twice at 2-week
intervals. Ultrasound-guided perineural injection of 1 cc each was administered into
the ulnar nerve, 2 cm and 4 cm distal to the medial epicondyle, at the level of the
medial epicondyle, and 2 cm and 4 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle. The amount
of total fluid injected was 5 cc.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
At baseline and weeks 2, 4, and 12, the patients were evaluated with the Visual Analog
Scale for pain and the Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire for
disability. Electrophysiological evaluation was performed with ulnar nerve conduction
studies, and the ulnar nerve cross-sectional area was measured on ultrasonography.
Results
The improvements in pain, disability, ulnar motor nerve velocity, and ulnar nerve
cross-sectional area in the dextrose group were superior to those in the control group,
especially at weeks 4 and 12 (P<.001, using independent samples t tests).
Conclusion
Perineural 5% dextrose may be an effective alternative therapy for those with ulnar
neuropathy at the elbow for up to the 12th week.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
CSA (cross-sectional area), CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome), D5W (5% dextrose), MNCV (motor nerve conduction velocity), Quick-DASH (short form of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire), SNCV (sensory nerve conduction velocity), UNE (ulnar neuropathy at the elbow), US (ultrasonography), VAS (Visual Analog Scale)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: June 08, 2022
Accepted:
April 11,
2022
Received in revised form:
April 6,
2022
Received:
December 23,
2021
Footnotes
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Clinical Trials Registry Number: NCT03737916.
Disclosures: none.
Written and verbal informed consent was obtained from each patient.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
