Summary:
In patients with lumbar radicular pain, intramuscular injection of betamethasone significantly improved pain, disability, and quality of life compared to placebo injection with isotonic sodium chloride, though it was associated with no additional benefit on electroneuromyography findings.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults diagnosed with lumbar radicular pain (LRP), with symptoms lasting less than six months, confirmed by clinical and radiological findings. |
| Intervention | Single-dose intramuscular injection of betamethasone administered at baseline. |
| Comparison | Intramuscular injection of isotonic sodium chloride (placebo group). |
| Outcome | Pain (VAS) and NHP-pain scores improved significantly in both groups but were superior in the glucocorticoid group (p = 0.03 and p = 0.044). Disability (ODI), energy, physical mobility, and total Nottingham Health Profile scores improved similarly in both groups. No significant differences were found in ENMG parameters except for resolution of fibrillation potentials, seen in both groups. |
Source: Ezgi Boga Vijdan, et al. “Efficacy of intramuscular glucocorticoid injection in patients with lumbar radicular pain: a randomized controlled trial.” Read article here.
