A double-blind randomized comparative study of triamcinolone hexacetonide and dexamethasone intra-articular injection for the treatment of knee joint arthritis in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

Intra-articular glucocorticoid (GC) injection has been used for more than half a century in the treatment of refractory synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There are limited data about the efficacy of intra-articular injection of various preparations of GCs on inflamed joint. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of intra-articular injection of dexamethasone (DEX) and triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH) in the treatment of knee joint arthritis in RA. In a double-blind randomized clinical trial, 70 patients with RA and knee joint arthritis were recruited to the study. Swelled knee joints were injected with 40mg TH or 8mg DEX randomly. The primary outcome measures were reduction of knee joint swelling and pain 1 and 3weeks after joint injection. The secondary outcome measures were relapse of knee arthritis at 2, 4, and 6months after injection and side effects of intra-articular injection. Difference in the knee circumferences between DEX and TH groups at weeks 1 and 3 was not significant. The average times of pain reduction after injection were 3.4±2.3 and 2.3±1.8days in TH and DEX, respectively. There were no differences of knee pain between the two groups. Relapse of knee arthritis was occurred in two (6.7%) and three (9.4%) patients in the DEX and TH groups, respectively. Intra-articular injection of DEX like TH causes rapid and long-term reduction of knee pain and swelling in patients with RA and is safe.