Comparison Clinical Effects of Hypertonic Dextrose and Steroid Injections on Chronic Subacromial Bursitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the treatment efficacy of subacromial steroid injections and dextrose prolotherapy (DPT) for chronic subacromial bursitis patients.

DESIGN: 54 patients with chronic subacromial bursitis were enrolled in this double-blind randomized controlled trial. Shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) and visual analog scale (VAS) were the primary outcomes.

RESULTS: The steroid group (n = 26) exhibited significant VAS score improvements comparing to baseline at weeks 2, 6, and 12; the DPT group (n = 28) exhibited VAS score improvements at weeks 6, and 12. The steroid group displayed significant SPADI score improvements compared to baseline at weeks 2, 6, and 12, the DPT group exhibited significant score decreases at weeks 2, and 6. Compared with the DPT group, the steroid group demonstrated significantly greater decreases in VAS scores at weeks 2, and 6; the steroid group showed significantly greater decreases in SPADI scores at weeks 2, 6, and 12.

CONCLUSION: Both hypertonic DPT and steroid injections can provide short-term improvements of pain and disability among chronic subacromial bursitis patients. Moreover, steroid injections showed better effectiveness than hypertonic DPT in ameliorating pain and improving function.