Abstract
Objectives
To investigate the effects of prolotherapy (PrT) on pain, functionality, clinical
improvement and to compare the 5% low and 15% high dose dextrose PrT in chronic lateral
epicondylitis.
Design
A double-blind, parallel groups, randomized controlled study.
Settings
Outpatient Clinic.
Participants
Sixty patients (N=60), aged 44.30±10.31 years old, with chronic lateral epicondylitis
were allocated randomly into 3 groups.
Interventions
To Group 1 5% dextrose PrT, to Group 2 15% dextrose PrT, to Group 3 0.9% saline injections
were done at 3 times (weeks 0, 3, 6), to the entheses of forearm extensors and annular
ligament.
Main Outcome Measures
The primary outcomes were handgrip strength, visual analog scale-rest (VAS-R), visual
analog scale-activity (VAS-A), pressure-pain threshold, and Quick Disability of the
Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Q-DASH). The secondary outcomes were clinical improvement
(Disease Global Assessment Questionnaire), side effects, and complications. Primary
outcomes were collected at baseline week 0, week 3, and 12. Secondary outcomes were
collected at weeks 3 and 12.
Results
In Group 2, VAS-A and VAS-R (at week 3), handgrip strength and pressure-pain threshold
(at week 12) were significantly different than other groups (P<.05). In Groups 1 and 2, there was a difference in primary outcomes at week 12 than
baseline (P<.05). In Group 3, there was no difference in VAS-R, VAS-A, and handgrip strength
at weeks 3 and 12 than baseline (P>.05).
Conclusion
In chronic lateral epicondylitis, 5% and 15% dextrose PrT is more effective in pain,
handgrip strength, functionality, and clinical improvement than %0.9 saline. There
was no difference in functionality, clinical improvement, side effects, and complications
between the PrT groups. 15% dextrose PrT was more effective in handgrip strength and
pressure-pain threshold at week 12 and pain at week 3. We recommend 15% dextrose PrT
based on this study.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
DGAQ (Disease Global Assessment Questionnaire), PrT (prolotherapy), Q-DASH (Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand), VAS-A (visual analog scale-activity), VAS-R (visual analog scale-rest)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 12, 2022
Accepted:
September 26,
2022
Received in revised form:
September 24,
2022
Received:
June 16,
2022
Footnotes
The financial supporter of the study is the principal investigator.
Clinical Trial Number: NCT04680936.
Disclosures: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
