| Title | Comparison of epidural steroid injections with conservative management in patients with lumbar radiculopathy. | | Author(s) | Laiq N, Khan MN, Iqbal MJ, Khan S | | Institution | Department of Anaesthesiology, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. | | Source | J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2009 Sep; 19(9):539-43. | | Abstract | Objective: To determine the difference in short- and long-term pain improvement between lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections (ESIs) and conservative management in patients with lumbar radiculopathy.
Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: The Postgraduate Medical Institute of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from April 2005 to March 2007. Methodology: Fifty elective patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the steroid group were treated with 80 mg of methylprednisolone injected in combination with 3 ml of 2% plain xylocaine and 3 ml of normal saline in the lumbar epidural space, while patients in the conservative group were treated with bed rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, muscle relaxants, and opioids. All the 50 patients in the two groups were regularly assessed at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months of periods for pain score by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), patients satisfaction score and any unwanted side effects.
Results: A marked improvement of the pain score and patients satisfaction score were noticed in the steroid group. Less significant improvement was seen in the conservative group during the initial period i.e 2 weeks and 1 month (p < 0.05). The difference in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and patients satisfaction score was non-significant in chronic stages of treatment in both groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Epidural steroid injections in acute symptoms of sciatica are considered to be a better option compared to conservative treatment. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 19728936 |
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