BACKGROUND: the purpose of this study is to compare the therapeutic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to those of cryoultrasound (Cryo-US) therapy in chronic lateral epicondylitis during a 12-month period. METHODS: single-blinded, randomized, controlled study of 80 participants treated for chronic LE with 3 ESWT sessions at 48/72-hours intervals (n=40) or 12Cryo-US therapy sessions (4 sessions per week) (n=40). VAS and satisfactory results, considered as the sum of excellent and good scores in the Roles and Maudsley score, were used as outcome measures at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: the results show statistically significant differences in VAS between the two groups at 6 (p<0.001) and 12 months (p<0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group. At 12 months, a difference of more than 2 points in the VAS between the two groups is demonstrated in favour of the ESWT Group. Considering satisfactory results, significant differences between the two groups are observed at 6 (p=0.003) and 12 months (p <0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group where patients achieve a satisfactory rate over 50%. CONCLUSIONS:ESWT has better clinical therapeutic results at 6- and 12-month follow-up as compared to Cryo-US therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1B.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: the purpose of this study is to compare the therapeutic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to those of cryoultrasound (Cryo-US) therapy in chronic lateral epicondylitis during a 12-month period. METHODS: single-blinded, randomized, controlled study of 80 participants treated for chronic LE with 3 ESWT sessions at 48/72-hours intervals (n=40) or 12 Cryo-US therapy sessions (4 sessions per week) (n=40). VAS and satisfactory results, considered as the sum of excellent and good scores in the Roles and Maudsley score, were used as outcome measures at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: the results show statistically significant differences in VAS between the two groups at 6 (p<0.001) and 12 months (p<0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group. At 12 months, a difference of more than 2 points in the VAS between the two groups is demonstrated in favour of the ESWT Group. Considering satisfactory results, significant differences between the two groups are observed at 6 (p=0.003) and 12 months (p <0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group where patients achieve a satisfactory rate over 50%. CONCLUSIONS: ESWT has better clinical therapeutic results at 6- and 12-month follow-up as compared to Cryo-US therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1B.
Authors: G R Ebenbichler; C B Erdogmus; K L Resch; M A Funovics; F Kainberger; G Barisani; M Aringer; P Nicolakis; G F Wiesinger; M Baghestanian; E Preisinger; V Fialka-Moser Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1999-05-20 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Margaret P Staples; Andrew Forbes; Ronnie Ptasznik; Jeanine Gordon; Rachelle Buchbinder Journal: J Rheumatol Date: 2008-09-15 Impact factor: 4.666
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