| Title | EMLA cream for carpal tunnel syndrome: how it compares with steroid injection. | | Author(s) | Moghtaderi AR, Jazayeri SM, Azizi S | | Institution | Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. moghtaderia@yahoo.com | | Source | Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 2009 Sep-Oct; 49(6-7):287-9. | | Abstract | BACKGROUND: A standard treatment option for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is local injection of anesthetic-corticosteroid. This clinical trial was designed to compare the safety and efficacy of daily application of the EMLA cream (lidocaine 2.5% plus prilocaine 2.5%) with that of a single injection of methyl prednisolone acetate (Depo-Medrol) 40 mg.
METHODS: In this randomized, parallel-group, open-label, single-center, case-controlled, prospective study, 65 participants (70 hands) aged 18-75 years with clinical & electrodiagnostic evidences of CTS were randomized to receive either the EMLA cream (n = 30 patients, 35 hands, group 1) or one injection of methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg at wrist (n = 35 patients, group 2). Outcome assessments included the visual analog scale and clinical assessment.
RESULTS: After 4 weeks of treatment, patients in both groups reported significant changes (P < 0.001) in pain intensity. Both treatments were well tolerated, with treatment-related adverse events (AEs) reported in 2 patients in group 1 (5.7%) and 10 patients in group 2 (28.5%) No systemic treatment-related AEs were observed with the EMLA cream.
CONCLUSION: EMLA cream was effective in reducing pain associated with CTS and well tolerated and it may offer patients with CTS an effective, noninvasive symptomatic treatment. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 19845100 |
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