Interesting study regarding corticosteroid injections for hips/knees

[leejaa]

Just saw this study released today (October 15, 2019) on joint injections for hips and knees and there seems to be some evidence that they cause more harm than good. Very interesting.

https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2019190341

 

[Jamie]

Thanks for alerting us to this study just published today. We'll definitely take a look at it.

 

[Jamie]

This was a relatively small study group, but it certainly presents information that patients need to be aware of when considering cortisone injections. The study results indicate there may be some people who are more prone to negative results from such injections that can include:

* Accelerated osteoarthritis progression
* Subchondral insufficiency fracture
* Complications of osteonecrosis
* Rapid joint destruction, including bone loss

This study and it's results do not mean you shouldn't consider cortisone injections as a treatment for joint pain when you would prefer to wait for a joint replacement. It just means there are some additional risks (not inevitable events) not been previously identified that need to be discussed with your doctor as you decide what options to take for treatment.

 

[VSlowLife]

I agree with @Jamie . Although it was a meta analysis, no study had more than 200 participants or had follow up for a year or greater.
My first hip injection, was not just about trying to calm the inflammation, but to discern if the hip pain was truly a hip pain, and not generated by the spine.
In my case, my hip felt so much better after the injection, in the short term, so that ruled out any question of involvement of the spine.