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Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study

Received: 15 May 2021    Accepted: 3 June 2021    Published: 15 June 2021
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Abstract

Background: Synovectomy, arthroplasty, and other surgical procedures are generally used to correct wrist joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methodology: We unilaterally injected 20 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and 5 mL of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride of RA patients with joints pain who refused surgery. We then evaluated the clinical benefit and safety of intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide by analyzing data on (1) the number of injections with Larsen’s grade and whether a biologic was used or not, (2) decrease in visual analog scale pain, (3) changes in carpal height ratio, radio carpal distance ratio and radial rotation angle in dorso-palmar plain X-ray imaging, and (4) the side effects of triamcinolone acetonide injection into the joints. Results: The mean number of injections per patient was less than 5 times, and sufficiently reduced or eliminated joints pain. X-ray evaluation did not reveal progress of joint destruction due to triamcinolone acetonide. No side effects of injection did not occur. Conclusions: It was found that joint injection of triamcinolone acetonide can reduce joint pain and suppress joint destruction, and it is possible that surgery will not be necessary in the future.

Published in Journal of Surgery (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.js.20210904.13
Page(s) 159-165
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

RA, Wrist, Joint Pain, Steroid Injection

References
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[2] Youm Y, McMurthy RY, Flatt AE, et al. Kinematics of the wrist. I. An experimental study of radial-ulnar deviation and flexion-extension. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1978 Jun; 60 (4): 423-31.
[3] Palmer AK, Werner FW, Eng MM. The triangular fibrocartilage complex of the wrist – Anatomy and function. J Hand Surg Am. 1981 Mar; 6 (2): 153-62.
[4] Fukui A, Yoshii T, Ueda Y, et al. Plaster cast fixation is not necessary after performing a modified version of the Sauve-Kapandji procedure in rheumatoid arthritis patients. J Jpn Soc Surg Hand. 2008; 24 (6): 1030-34 (in Japanese).
[5] Chandler GN, Wright V. Deleterious effect of intra-articular hydrocortisone. Lancet. 1958 Sept; 2 (7048): 661-3.
[6] Salter RB, Gross A, Hall JH. Hydrocortisone arthroplasty. An experimental investigation. Can Med Assoc J. 1967 Aug 19; 97 (8): 374-7.
[7] Gray RG, Gottlieb NL. Intra-articular corticosteroids. An updated assessment. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983 Jul-Aug; (177): 236-63.
[8] Ostergaard M, Halberg P. Intra-articular glucocorticoid injections in joint diseases. Ugeskr Laeger. 1999 Feb 1: 161 (5): 582-6.
[9] Koski JM, Hermunen H. Intra-articular glucocorticoid treatment of the rheumatoid wrist. An ultrasonographic study. Scand J Rheumatol. 2001; 30 (5): 268-70.
[10] Haugeberg G, Morton S, Emery P, et al. Effect of intra-articular corticosteroid injections and inflammation on periarticular and generalized bone loss in early rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2011 Jan; 70 (1): 184-7.
[11] Hetland ML, Stengaard-Pedersen K, et al. CIMESTRA study group. Aggressive combination therapy with intra-articular glucocorticoid injections and conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in early rheumatoid arthritis: second-year clinical and radiographic results from the CIMESTRA study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2008 Jun; 67 (6): 815-22.
[12] Hetland ML, ?stergaard M, Ejbjerg B, et al. CIMESTRA study group. Short and long-term efficacy of intra-articular injections with betamethasone as part of a treat-to-target strategy in early rheumatoid arthritis: impact of joint area, repeated injections, MRI findings, anti-CCP, IgM-RF and CRP. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012 Jun; 71 (6): 851-6.
[13] Fizgerald BT, Hofmeister EP, Fan RA, et al. Delayed flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus rupture in a trigger finger after a steroid injection: a case report. J Hand Surg Am. 2005 May; 30 (3): 479-82.
[14] Fukui A, Yamada H, Yoshii Y. Effect of intra-articular injection of triamcinolone acetonide for wrist pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A statistical investigation. J Hand Surg (Asian-Pacific volume). 2016, 2 (12): 239-245.
[15] Bodick N, Lufkin J, Willwerth C, et al. An intra-articular extended-release formulation of triamcinolone acetonide prolongs and amplifies analgesic effect in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2015 Jun 3; 97 (11): 877-88.
[16] Kumar A, Bendele AM, Blanks RC, et al. Sustained efficacy of a single intra-articular dose of FX006 in a rat model of repeated localized knee arthritis Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2015 Jan: 23 (1): 151-60.
[17] Kraus VB, Conaghan PG, Aazami HA, et al. Synovial and systemic pharmacokinetics (PK) of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) following intra-articular (IA) injection of an extended-release microsphere-based formulation (FX006) or standard crystalline suspension in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Jan; 26 (1): 34-42.
[18] Axelsen MB, Eshed I, H?rslev-Petersen K, et al. OPERA study group. A treat-to-target strategy with methotrexate and intra-articular triamcinolone with or without adalimumab effectively reduces MRI synovitis, osteitis and tenosynovitis and halts structural damage progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: results from the OPERA randomised controlled trial. Ann Rheum. 2015 May; 74 (5): 867-75.
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  • APA Style

    Akihiro Fukui, Hideki Yamada, Takashi Yoshii. (2021). Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study. Journal of Surgery, 9(4), 159-165. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20210904.13

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    ACS Style

    Akihiro Fukui; Hideki Yamada; Takashi Yoshii. Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study. J. Surg. 2021, 9(4), 159-165. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20210904.13

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    AMA Style

    Akihiro Fukui, Hideki Yamada, Takashi Yoshii. Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study. J Surg. 2021;9(4):159-165. doi: 10.11648/j.js.20210904.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.js.20210904.13,
      author = {Akihiro Fukui and Hideki Yamada and Takashi Yoshii},
      title = {Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study},
      journal = {Journal of Surgery},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {159-165},
      doi = {10.11648/j.js.20210904.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20210904.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.js.20210904.13},
      abstract = {Background: Synovectomy, arthroplasty, and other surgical procedures are generally used to correct wrist joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methodology: We unilaterally injected 20 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and 5 mL of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride of RA patients with joints pain who refused surgery. We then evaluated the clinical benefit and safety of intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide by analyzing data on (1) the number of injections with Larsen’s grade and whether a biologic was used or not, (2) decrease in visual analog scale pain, (3) changes in carpal height ratio, radio carpal distance ratio and radial rotation angle in dorso-palmar plain X-ray imaging, and (4) the side effects of triamcinolone acetonide injection into the joints. Results: The mean number of injections per patient was less than 5 times, and sufficiently reduced or eliminated joints pain. X-ray evaluation did not reveal progress of joint destruction due to triamcinolone acetonide. No side effects of injection did not occur. Conclusions: It was found that joint injection of triamcinolone acetonide can reduce joint pain and suppress joint destruction, and it is possible that surgery will not be necessary in the future.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Efficacy of Intra-Articular Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections for Wrist Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Retrospective Study
    AU  - Akihiro Fukui
    AU  - Hideki Yamada
    AU  - Takashi Yoshii
    Y1  - 2021/06/15
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20210904.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.js.20210904.13
    T2  - Journal of Surgery
    JF  - Journal of Surgery
    JO  - Journal of Surgery
    SP  - 159
    EP  - 165
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-0930
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.js.20210904.13
    AB  - Background: Synovectomy, arthroplasty, and other surgical procedures are generally used to correct wrist joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methodology: We unilaterally injected 20 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and 5 mL of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride of RA patients with joints pain who refused surgery. We then evaluated the clinical benefit and safety of intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide by analyzing data on (1) the number of injections with Larsen’s grade and whether a biologic was used or not, (2) decrease in visual analog scale pain, (3) changes in carpal height ratio, radio carpal distance ratio and radial rotation angle in dorso-palmar plain X-ray imaging, and (4) the side effects of triamcinolone acetonide injection into the joints. Results: The mean number of injections per patient was less than 5 times, and sufficiently reduced or eliminated joints pain. X-ray evaluation did not reveal progress of joint destruction due to triamcinolone acetonide. No side effects of injection did not occur. Conclusions: It was found that joint injection of triamcinolone acetonide can reduce joint pain and suppress joint destruction, and it is possible that surgery will not be necessary in the future.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nishinokyo Hospital, Nara, Japan

  • Department of Internal Medicine, Nijo-Ekimae Clinic, Nara, Japan

  • Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Saiseikai Chuwa Hospital, Nara, Japan

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