Intra-articular Glucocorticoid Research Articles

HIV-ASSOCIATED ARTHRITIS. Review and clinical cases

Relevance. HIV infection is characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including musculoskeletal symptoms, which can occur at any stage of the disease.
 Objective: to analyze own clinical cases with rheumatologic manifestations of HIV infection in context of literature data on the spectrum of musculoskeletal manifestations of HIV infection, approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
 Methods. Presentation of own clinical cases and review of scientific publications in the international electronic scientometric database PubMed using keywords «HIV infection», «arthritis», «musculoskeletal manifestations» over the period 2000-2021 years.
 Results. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in HIV-infected individuals ranges from 10 to 45%. Articular manifestations of HIV infection can be divided into 3 main groups: 1) related to HIV (arthralgias, painful articular syndrome, HIV-associated arthritis, septic arthritis); 2) inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, undifferentiated spondyloarthritis); 3) associated with antiretroviral therapy (aseptic necrosis, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, gout). For treatment of articular manifestations analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (drug of choice - indomethacin), intraarticular or oral glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (drug of choice - hydroxychloroquine) may be used. Conditions for initiation of therapy with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: a controlled steady course of HIV with antiretroviral therapy performed, the number of CD4+ cells >200/ml, undetectable viral load. Our clinical cases confirm that indications for HIV testing in rheumatologic patients are reactive arthritis of unknown etiology, atypical lupus, persistent leukopenia, unreasonable weight loss, lack of an adequate response to traditional therapy of rheumatological diseases.
 Conclusions. Articular syndrome in HIV-infected individuals may be a separate manifestation of HIV infection and result of antiretroviral therapy. Treatment of articular manifestations in HIV-infected individuals primarily involves the treatment of HIV infection, and it depends on its clinical stage, use of antiretroviral therapy, the severity of articular syndrome and involvement of other organs. Our clinical observations demonstrate the possibility of articular manifestations at various stages of HIV infection: before diagnosis, during prolonged stable antiretroviral therapy, as well as after a change in antiretroviral therapy.

Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee disease (osteoarthritis including degenerative meniscal tears).

Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee disease (osteoarthritis including degenerative meniscal tears).

Osteoarthritis: what's new?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a very common disease. As a consequence of the ageing society, osteoarthritis prevalence will further increase. Age itself, trauma, unequal load distribution and overweight are risk factors. Cellular senescence and overweight have been in the focus of scientific interest for the last few years. Both risk factors are able to facilitate joint inflammation, independent of a mechanical approach. Senescent chondrocytes as well as adipocytes can produce increased amounts of inflammatory cytokines. Cornerstones of the therapy are patient education including information on the character/course of the disease and intentional weight loss. Although NSAIDs can be recommended as analgesics, their contraindications limit the widespread use. Alternatively, acetaminophen or low-potency opioids such as tramadol might be considered. Topical NSAIDs and intraarticular glucocorticoid injections can be helpful in pain reduction particularly in knee osteoarthritis. There is still no general recommendation for nutritional supplements including chondroitin or glycosaminoglycan, but they might be considered as an accompanying therapy. With the current non-approval of the nerve growth factor (NGF)-antibody tanezumab, a new therapeutical option for OA suffered a setback. Unfortunately, the results of the phase 2 study on the Wnt inhibitor lorecivivint are barely encouraging. However, the results of the according phase 3 study are eagerly awaited.

Cost-effectiveness of Physical Therapy vs Intra-articular Glucocorticoid Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis

Physical therapy and glucocorticoid injections are initial treatment options for knee osteoarthritis, but available data indicate that most patients receive one or the other, suggesting they may be competing interventions. The initial cost difference for treatment can be substantial, with physical therapy often being more expensive at the outset, and cost-effectiveness analysis can aid patients and clinicians in making decisions. To investigate the incremental cost-effectiveness between physical therapy and intra-articular glucocorticoid injection as initial treatment strategies for knee osteoarthritis. This economic evaluation is a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial performed from October 1, 2012, to May 4, 2017. Health economists were blinded to study outcomes and treatment allocation. A randomized sample of patients seen in primary care and physical therapy clinics with a radiographically confirmed diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis were evaluated from the clinical trial with 96.2% follow-up at 1 year. Physical therapy or glucocorticoid injection. The main outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness between 2 alternative treatments. Acceptability curves of bootstrapped incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were used to identify the proportion of ICERs under the specific willingness-to-pay level ($50 000-$100 000). Health care system costs (total and knee related) and health-related quality-of-life based on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were obtained. A total of 156 participants (mean [SD] age, 56.1 [8.7] years; 81 [51.9%] male) were randomized 1:1 and followed up for 1 year. Mean (SD) 1-year knee-related medical costs were $2113 ($4224) in the glucocorticoid injection group and $2131 ($1015) in the physical therapy group. The mean difference in QALY significantly favored physical therapy at 1 year (0.076; 95% CI, 0.02-0.126; P = .003). Physical therapy was the more cost-effective intervention, with an ICER of $8103 for knee-related medical costs, with a 99.2% probability that results fall below the willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000. A course of physical therapy was cost-effective compared with a course of glucocorticoid injections for patients with knee osteoarthritis. These results suggest that, although the initial cost of delivering physical therapy may be higher than an initial course of glucocorticoid injections, 1-year total knee-related costs are equivalent, and greater improvement in QALYs may justify the initial higher costs. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01427153.

Analysis of Some Immunological Aspects of Joint Infections Developed as a Result of Intra-Articular Glucocorticoid Injection

Summary. The work is devoted to the studies of immune status of patients with infectious complications after local glucocorticoid injections.
 Objective: to assess the state of the immune system of patients with infectious complications after local glucocorticoid injections, to monitor the dynamics of immunological parameters before and after sanitizing surgical treatment, and to reveal factors that are important for predicting the course of the disease and treatment results.
 Materials and Methods. The immune status of 26 patients with purulent inflammatory processes after local glucocorticoid injections in rheumatoid arthritis, deforming osteoarthritis, and chronic synovitis was studied. Immunological, hematological, and statistical research methods were used.
 Results. Changes of immunity factors as well as hematological parameters were revealed: a decrease in the content of T-lymphocytes (CD3+), T-helpers (CD4+), T-suppressors / cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD8+), immunoglobulins of classes A, M, and G; an increase in the levels of circulating immune complexes (СIC), the number of thrombocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the reaction of the neutrophil leukocytes. It has been shown that the improvement of the immune status and the decrease in the level of inflammatory reactions after the sanitizing surgical intervention occurs slowly, which requires the inclusion of immunocorrective therapy in the treatment of such patients.
 Conclusions. Primary examination of patients before surgery for the purpose of sanitizing the infection showed that the local inflammatory process in the bones and joints occurs against the background of altered immunological and hematological parameters. Dynamic follow-up showed that we are dealing not only with a local process, but also with a systemic inflammatory response. A variant of the laboratory criterion for the course of infectious complications and the effectiveness of the treatment can be the determination in the dynamics of the content of T-lymphocytes and their subpopulations, the levels of the CIC, platelets and ESR.

Thermoresponsive polymeric dexamethasone prodrug for arthritis pain

Intra-articular (IA) glucocorticoids (GC) are commonly used for clinical management of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but their efficacy is limited by the relatively short duration of action and associated side effects. To provide sustained efficacy and to improve the safety of GCs, we previously developed a N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-based dexamethasone (Dex) prodrug. Serendipitously, we discovered that, by increasing the Dex content of the prodrug to unusually high levels, the aqueous solution of the polymeric prodrug becomes thermoresponsive, transitioning from a free-flowing liquid at 4 °C to a hydrogel at 30 °C or greater. Upon IA injection, the prodrug solution forms a hydrogel (ProGel-Dex) that is retained in the joint for more than 1 month, where it undergoes gradual dissolution, releasing the water-soluble polymeric prodrug. The released prodrug is swiftly internalized and intracellularly processed by phagocytic synoviocytes to release free Dex, resulting in sustained amelioration of joint inflammation and pain in rodent models of inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. The low molecular weight (6.8 kDa) of the ProGel-Dex ensures rapid renal clearance once it escapes the joint, limiting systemic GC exposure and risk of potential off-target side effects. The present study illustrates the translational potential of ProGel-Dex as a potent opioid-sparing, locally delivered adjuvant analgesic for sustained clinical management of arthritis pain and inflammation. Importantly, the observed thermoresponsive properties of the prodrug establishes ProGel as a platform technology for the local delivery of a broad spectrum of therapeutic agents to treat a diverse array of pathological conditions.

Efficacy and safety of intra-articular therapies in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: an overview of systematic reviews

ObjectiveTo summarise the evidence on intra-articular therapies (IAT) to inform the 2020 EULAR recommendations.MethodsAn overview of systematic reviews (SR) including randomised-controlled trials (RCTs) of IAT in adults with arthropathies was...

Abstract #1004329: Are Pain Injections as Harmless as They Seem?

Intra-articular glucocorticoids (IAGC) are routinely used for the localized treatment of joint pain. It is generally assumed that IAGC act only locally, but it has been shown that a single dose of intra-articular Triamcinolone can suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis for as long as seven weeks. The HPA axis can take at least 3 months or longer to recover, depending on the dose and frequency of injections. IAGC administered repeatedly can eventually lead to adrenal suppression.

Morning Serum Cortisol May Be Less Accurate for Diagnosing Adrenal Insufficiency in Hospitalized Patients, Particularly Those on Opioids

Abstract Introduction: The positive predictive value of a low morning serum cortisol to diagnose adrenal insufficiency (AI) is reported to be >90%, which is the basis for guidelines recommending morning cortisol as the first-line test for central AI. A level <3 µg/dL is considered diagnostic. However, studies that established this cut-off were conducted primarily in outpatients, not hospitalized patients in whom diurnal variation may be disrupted. Studies suggest that opioids suppress cortisol levels acutely, may disrupt diurnal cortisol rhythm, and cause adrenal insufficiency in 8–50% of chronically-exposed patients. The impact of hospitalization, particularly in the setting of opioid use, on the accuracy of diagnostics for AI is unknown. We hypothesized that low morning cortisol values in hospitalized patients, especially those prescribed opioids, do not accurately diagnose adrenal insufficiency, as determined by corticotropin stimulation test (CST) peak cortisol <18 µg/dL. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of CSTs in hospitalized patients in the Mass General Brigham health system from 5/2015 to 9/2020. Opioid-exposed adults who underwent CST were included if they had a morning cortisol (5–9 AM) result. Control patients were matched by age, gender and race and had no opioid prescriptions within 30 days of testing. Patients were excluded if tested in the outpatient or ICU setting, had a history of cirrhosis or pituitary disease, had an elevated ACTH, were prescribed oral estrogen, or received oral, IV or intraarticular glucocorticoids within 30 days. Results: The analysis included 124 opioid-exposed and 322 control patients, mean (±SD) age 60.8±14.4 and 63.8±15.3y, and 55.6% and 45.0% female, respectively. Twenty-two (17.7%) opioid-exposed and 33 (10.2%) control patients were diagnosed with AI by CST (p=0.031). Nineteen opioid-exposed (15.3%) and 22 control (6.8%) patients had morning cortisol of <3 µg/dL (p=0.005). A morning cortisol <3 µg/dL had a positive predictive value of 36.8% (CI 19.1–59.0%) for AI in opioid-exposed and 50.0% (CI 30.7–69.3%) in control patients. In opioid-exposed patients with low morning cortisol levels, mean daily morphine milligram equivalent and duration of opioid exposure did not differ between those with AI confirmed by CST and those with normal CST (p=0.13 and 0.38, respectively). Conclusion: Among hospitalized patients with suspected AI, those prescribed opioids have a higher prevalence of central AI than controls. Serum morning cortisol <3 µg/dL is not an accurate test for AI in hospitalized patients, including those prescribed opioids in whom low morning cortisol is more prevalent than in controls. Given the risks associated with misdiagnosis of AI, caution should be exercised in relying on morning cortisol values for the diagnosis of AI in hospitalized patients.

Efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent degenerative disease representing an important health and economic burden. Symptomatic medical treatments available include intra-articular (IA) injections of corticosteroids (GC) but their efficacy and safety profile are debated. We performed a systematic literature review (SLR) and a meta-analysis (MA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of IA GC injections for knee OA. The effect of the interventions on pain and function was extracted from the single studies and pooled. Standardized mean differences (SMD) are reported. Of 520 studies screened, 23 were included in the SLR and 15 subsequently included in the MA. IA GC showed a trend towards a superior effect compared to control on both pain (SMD -0.61 (95% CI: -1.25, 0.03)) and function (SMD -1.02 (95% CI: -2.14, 0.10)) in short term follow-up (≤6 weeks), while long term follow-up (≥24 weeks) analysis showed a trend towards superiority of controls (IA HA, IA NSAID, physiotherapy) for pain (SMD 0.68 (95% CI: -0.11, 1.47)) and function (SMD 0.88 (95% CI: -0.36, 2.12). There were no differences between interventions in medium term (>6 weeks &<24 weeks). In this work, IA GC injections reduced pain and improved function early after administration (≤6 weeks) compared to placebo; while this result was no longer statistically significant with other comparators (IA hyaluronic acid or physiotherapy). Other interventions seem to be more efficient in the long term (≥24 weeks) but this effect was largely driven by single studies with large effect sizes.

New Trends in Injection-Based Therapy for Thumb-Base Osteoarthritis: Where Are We and where Are We Going?

Thumb-base osteoarthritis (TBOA) is a common condition, mostly affecting post-menopausal women, often inducing a significant impact on quality of life and hand functionality. Despite its high prevalence and disability, the therapeutic options in TBOA are still limited and few have been investigated. Among the pharmacological strategies for TBOA management, it would be worthwhile to mention the injection-based therapy. Unfortunately, its efficacy is still the subject of debate. Indeed, the 2018 update of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of hand osteoarthritis (OA) stated that intra-articular (IA) injections of glucocorticoids should not generally be used, but may be considered in patients with painful interphalangeal joints, without any specific mention to the TBOA localization and to other widely used injections agents, such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Even American College of Rheumatology (ACR) experts conditionally recommended against IA HA injections in patients with TBOA, while they conditionally encouraged IA glucocorticoids. However, the recommendations from international scientific societies don’t often reflect the clinical practice of physicians who routinely take care of TBOA patients; indeed, corticosteroid injections are a mainstay of therapy in OA, especially for patients with pain refractory to oral treatments and HA is considered as a safe and effective treatment. The discrepancy with the literature data is due to the great heterogeneity of the clinical trials published in this field: indeed, the studies differ for methodology and protocol design, outcome measures, treatment (different formulations of HA, steroids, PRP, and schedules) and times of follow-up. For these reasons, the current review will provide deep insight into the injection-based therapy for TBOA, with particular attention to the different employed agents, the variety of the schedule treatments, the most common injection techniques, and the obtained results in terms of efficacy and safety. In depth, we will discuss the available literature on corticosteroids and HA injections for TBOA and the emerging role of PRP and other injection agents for this condition. We will consider in our analysis not only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) but also recent pilot or retrospective studies trying to step forward to identify satisfactory management strategies for TBOA.

Intramuscular gluteal glucocorticoid injection versus intra-articular glucocorticoid injection in knee osteoarthritis: a 24-week multicenter randomized controlled non-inferiority trial

Purpose: To assess whether intramuscular (IM) gluteal glucocorticoid injection is non-inferior to intra-articular (IA) glucocorticoid injection in reducing knee pain for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in primary care.

Physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis is cost-effective compared to intra-articular glucocorticoid injection at 1 year: analysis from a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of physical therapy as an initial treatment strategy for knee osteoarthritis, when compared to an initial strategy consisting of corticosteroid injections.

Predictors of joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: focus on short- and long-term effects of intra-articular glucocorticoid injections.

Background/AimsTo investigate the short- and long-term efficacy of intra-articular glucocorticoid injections (IAGI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsThis was a retrospective study of RA patients who had active arthritis in the hand or wrist joints and who received IAGI (or not) as an adjunct to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Short-term efficacy was assessed based on changes in the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) after 3 months and long-term efficacy was assessed based on changes in the van der Heijde Sharp score (HSS) of hand radiographs over 2 years. Radiographic progression was defined as ΔHSS/year ≥ 2. Logistic regression analysis identified predictors of early achievement of low disease activity (LDA) and radiographic progression.ResultsOverall, 126 RA patients received IAGI into the hand or wrist joints and 107 were IAGI-naive. After 3 months, 67% of IAGI-treated patients and 48% of IAGI-naive patients achieved LDA (p = 0.002). Over the next 2 years, 35% of patients treated with IAGI showed radiographic progression compared with 27% of IAGI-naive patients (p = 0.2). IAGI plus biologic DMARDs was associated with achievement of LDA in 3 months. Achieving LDA in 3 months (odds ratio [OR], 0.403; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.192 to 0.847), wrist arthritis (OR, 2.408; 95% CI, 1.184 to 4.897), and baseline HSS (OR, 1.021; 95% CI, 1.003 to 1.039) were associated with radiographic progression.ConclusionsIAGI was associated with early achievement of LDA. LDA was associated with slower radiographic progression. The wrist is more vulnerable to joint damage and requires more aggressive treatment.

Factors predicting addition of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs after initial methotrexate monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We investigated factors predicting the addition of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) after an initial methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to support an early decision on the DMARDs addition. This retrospective cohort study included 311 patients who were diagnosed with RA and started on MTX monotherapy at Showa University Hospital, Japan. The outcome was addition of DMARDs after an initial MTX monotherapy at 6 months. Baseline patient characteristics were compared between the DMARDs addition and MTX monotherapy continuation groups, and significant independent predictive factors for the addition of DMARDs were selected using multivariate analysis. The median age of patients was 62 years (range 24-90), 170 patients (73%) were women, the median swollen 28-joint count (SJC28) was 3 (0-28), and the median tender 28-joint count (TJC28) was 5 (0-28). DMARDs were added in 65 (27.9%) patients. In the univariate analysis, higher TJC28 and SJC28, concomitant use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and intra-articular glucocorticoid (GC) injection history were significantly associated with the DMARDs addition. In the multivariate analysis, by adding covariates to the variables identified in the univariate analysis, SJC28 (odds ratio [OR] 1.390 per 5 joints increase; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.036-1.866) and intra-articular GC injection history (OR 3.678; 95% CI, 1.170-11.557) were independent predictors of DMARDs addition. A higher SJC28 and intra-articular GC injection history may be useful predictors of DMARDs addition after the initial MTX monotherapy. We expect that using these predictors will enable an earlier shift to a more aggressive treatment. Key Points ・We performed a retrospective cohort study with the addition of DMARDs as the outcome in patients with RA who were started on MTX monotherapy. ・A higher SJC28 (OR 1.390; 95% CI, 1.036-1.866) and an intra-articular GC injection history (OR 3.678; 95% CI, 1.170-11.557) may be useful predictors for the addition of DMARDs of initiating MTX monotherapy at 6 months. ・The use of such indicators may support an early decision on the addition of DMARDs after the initial MTX monotherapy.

Novel formulation of glucocorticoid based on silver alginate microcapsules for intraarticular drug delivery

The development of drug delivery systems for glucocorticoid drugs is a new strategy for optimization of glucocorticoid therapy, allowing the reduction of systemic side effects and the prolongation of a therapeutic one. For intraarticular glucocorticoids injection, widely used for therapy of osteoarthritis, the prolongation of drug release might also reduce the needle injection damage of a joint, due to reducing the number of injections operations. The current study introduces the novel system for water-insoluble glucocorticoid betamethasone delivery, based on silver alginate microcapsules, providing improved bioavailability, enhanced loading efficiency, and sustained release. The proposed system opens up the prospects for osteoarthritis therapy, enabling to overcome limitations of the intraarticular delivery of glucocorticoids.

Beyond the guidelines management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a case report of a girl with polyarticular disease refractory to multiple treatment options and Leri Weill syndrome

BackgroundThe last two decades brought new treatment options and high quality guidelines into the paediatric rheumatologic practice. Nevertheless, a number of patients still present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to combination of vague symptoms and unresponsiveness to available treatment modalities.Case presentationWe report a case of sixteen years old girl suffering from polyarticular type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis refractory to multiple treatment options. She first presented at the age of 4 with swelling and contractures of both knees. Her symptoms were initially unresponsive to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and progressed despite treatment with intraarticular and systemic glucocorticoids and methotrexate. Throughout the years, she received several biologics together with continuous administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs as well as intraarticular and systemic glucocorticoids in disease flares. However, none of this options provided a permanent remission, so various other modalities, as well as other possible diagnoses were constantly being considered. Eventually she became dependent on a daily dose of systemic glucocorticoids. In 2018, the treatment with Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib was initiated, which led to gradual amelioration of musculoskeletal symptoms, improvement of inflammatory markers and overall well-being, as well as to the weaning of systemic glucocorticoids. As the swelling of the wrists subsided for the first time in many years, Madelung’s deformity was noticed, first clinically, and later radiographically as well. Genetic analysis revealed short-stature homeobox gene deficiency and confirmed the diagnosis of Leri Weill syndrome.ConclusionsThis case report emphasizes the need for reporting refractory, complicated cases from everyday clinical practice in order to build-up the overall knowledge and share experience which is complementary to available guidelines. Individual reports of difficult to treat cases, especially when additional diagnoses are involved, can be helpful for physicians treating patients with common rheumatological diseases such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Injection Placement for Palpation-Guided Intra-Articular Glucocorticoid Therapy for the Elbow

Objectives: There are two different palpationguided injection techniques described how to enter the elbow joint when injecting intraarticular glucocorticoids – the lateral and the posterior. Both methods are used in clinical practice and based on individual experience each practicing physician decides which technique to use. The aims of the present study were to compare the accuracy of palpationguided injection placement and the clinical effects regarding pain and function between these methods.

Evaluation of the effects of intraarticular glucocorticoid injections on blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus and nondiabetes mellitus patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of intraarticular glucocorticoid injections on blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus (DM) and non-DM patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder and investigate the risk factors for hyperglycemia. The study included 40 DM and 38 non-DM patients. The DM status, HbA1c levels, baseline fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, and post-injection 1-, 7-, 15-, and 21-day FBG levels were evaluated retrospectively. The FBG levels were significantly higher 1 and 7 day after the glucocorticoid injection as compared with the baseline levels (P = 0.001 and <0.001, respectively). The increase was greatest in DM patients and then returned to baseline levels 15-day post-injection. In terms of the mean difference in post-injection and baseline FBG levels, the increase on day 1 was statistically significantly greater in the DM group as compared with that in the non-DM group (P = 0.01). Linear regression model showed that only the baseline FBG level predicted the glucose level 1-day post-treatment (β = 0.839, P < 0.01). Intraarticular glucocorticoid injections can safely be administered as a treatment for adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder in patients with well-controlled DM. Baseline FBG levels may predict peak blood glucose levels in patients with well-controlled DM. We recommend that DM patients with adhesive capsulitis should undergo frequent monitoring of blood glucose in the 2 week following intraarticular glucocorticoid injection treatment.

Post COVID-19 Reactive Arthritis: An Emerging Existence In The Spectrum Of Musculoskeletal Complications Of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Reactive arthritis is commonly preceded by a gastrointestinal or a sexually transmitted infection. However, its association with different viral infections has also been reported. Herein, we report a case of a 34 year old male who developed Reactive arthritis few days after the severe acute respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 infection (SARS-CoV-2). The patient was positive for COVID-19 infection from nasopharyngeal swab specimen. He was advised self-isolation/quarantine, considering his mild form of disease, along with medication. Ten days later he developed severe pain and tenderness in his right knee joint. His MRI of the affected joint revealed mild effusion (secondary to inflammation) in the patella-femoral compartment. Patient was diagnosed with Reactive arthritis and was prescribed Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Intra articular glucocorticoid was injected, to which he responded dramatically. His symptoms completely resolved in next ten days.