Efficacy comparison between ultrasound-guided injections of 5% dextrose with corticosteroids in carpal tunnel syndrome patients

BackgroundThere is no standard guideline for treating mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). 5% dextrose perineural injection has been a potential and innovative treatment with long-term effects for CTS; however, there is few published randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of 5% dextrose perineural injection versus corticosteroid injection in treating CTS.Materials and MethodsIn this double-blinded randomized active-controlled trial, we randomly allocated 1 session of either 2 cc 5% dextrose or 1 cc methylprednisolone acetate mixed with 1 cc normal saline in 36 patients with mild to moderate CTS of single or both their wrists. The baseline VAS, BCTQ, electrophysiological studies, and sonography assessment of median nerve CSA were carried out at the baseline and 1-month and 3-month follow-ups, as well as recording demographic variables.ResultsA statistically significant decreasing trend in VAS (P < 0.0001), BCTQ-ss (P < 0.0001), median nerve CSA (P = 0.05), SNAP-PL (P < 0.0001), and CMAP-OL (P = 0.048) in both methylprednisolone and 5% dextrose groups was observed. No significant difference was observed in slope of the trend of studied parameters, including VAS (P = 0.95), BCTQ-ss (P = 0.88), BCTQ-F (P = 0.34), median nerve CSA (P = 0.321), SNAP-PL (P = 0.9), CMAP-OL (P = 0.799), SNAP-amplitude (P = 0.798), and CMAP-amplitude (P = 0.584).Conclusion5% dextrose perineural injection is an effective and safe treatment for mild to moderate CTS, in comparison with the short-term results attained from corticosteroids. Further randomized clinical trials with longer follow-up periods are warranted.