Use of Intra-Articular Corticosteroids in Orthopaedics

A review of the evidence-based research on the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections of the osteo-arthritic knee was inconclusive. Combining intra-articular corticosteroid injection with a higher-dose anesthetic may compound chondrotoxic effects. Compared with corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis, intra-articular viscosupplements have not shown a substantial difference in pain relief or functional outcomes. Although rare and usually transient, systemic effects of intra-articular corticosteroid injections may occur and can be influenced by the type, frequency, and dosage of the corticosteroid used. Practitioners are encouraged to use corticosteroid injections judiciously to treat pain and joint inflammation from osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis of large joints.