Abstract
Methods Patients with shoulder pain were recruited in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. These shoulder pain patients with or without limitation in joint movement can be included in the study. All of them received musculoskeletal ultrasound scanning. Demographic and imaging data including age, gender, duration of shoulder pain, pain side, and pathologies found by musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging were collected and analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: <45 years (young group), between 45 and 60 years (middle-aged group), and >60 years (elderly group). The rates of various shoulder pathologies were evaluated and compared between the groups. Results This study recruited a total of 346 patients with shoulder pain. There were more female (62.1%) than male patients (37.9%), with the largest number of patients in the 45-60 years of age group (40.5%). Forty-eight percent of patients had shoulder pain within a period of 3 months. A total of 380 shoulders were assessed using musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging. The occurrence rate of subacromial disorder (83.8%) was the highest. The rate of supraspinatus tendinopathy, acromioclavicular joint degeneration, and adhesive shoulder capsulitis varied significantly between age groups (P < 0.05). The rate of acromioclavicular joint degeneration was the highest in the elderly group followed by the middle-aged and young groups (P < 0.0167). The rate of supraspinatus tendinopathy and adhesive capsulitis in the middle-aged and elderly groups was significantly higher than that in the young group (P < 0.0167). Conclusions Musculoskeletal ultrasound can be a useful imaging tool in making an accurate diagnosis of shoulder pain. The occurrence rates of different shoulder pain pathologies in all age groups were thoroughly calculated in this study. More female and more subcoracoid disorder patients than western countries are attributed to repetitive lifting in daily life and work in this study. Correlations between these pathologies and their associated images can be a solid foundation for the development of artificial intelligence in diagnosing the cause of shoulder pain.
Highlights
Shoulder pain is a common complaint in rehabilitation and orthopedic outpatient clinics, with a prevalence rate between 2.4% and 26% [1]
Many pathologies can result in shoulder pain, such as rotator cuff tendinopathy, subacromial impingement, subacromial bursitis, and tendinitis of the long head of the biceps (LHB)
We found that the occurrence rates of supraspinatus tendinopathy in the middleaged and elderly groups were higher than the young group, which is in accordance with the literature written by Leong et al [17]
Summary
Shoulder pain is a common complaint in rehabilitation and orthopedic outpatient clinics, with a prevalence rate between 2.4% and 26% [1]. Musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging can play a role as an accurate tool in offering an accurate diagnosis of shoulder pain. It is still not commonly used in mainland China. The rate of supraspinatus tendinopathy, acromioclavicular joint degeneration, and adhesive shoulder capsulitis varied significantly between age groups (P < 0:05). The occurrence rates of different shoulder pain pathologies in all age groups were thoroughly calculated in this study. More female and more subcoracoid disorder patients than western countries are attributed to repetitive lifting in daily life and work in this study Correlations between these pathologies and their associated images can be a solid foundation for the development of artificial intelligence in diagnosing the cause of shoulder pain
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
