Karin Pieber1, Martina Grim-Stieger, Franz Kainberger, Martin Funovics, Karl-Ludwig Resch, Thomas Bochdansky, Eleonore Pablik, Gerold Ebenbichler. 1. From the Sportordination, Vienna, Austria (KP); Department of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation & Occupational Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (GE); Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Wilhelminen Hospital, Vienna, Austria (MG-S); Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (FK, MF); Gesundheitsforschungsinstitut, Bad Elster, Germany (K-LR); Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, VAMED, Vienna, Austria (TB); and Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (EP).
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to follow both the structure- and function-related long-term course of shoulders that had been treated with therapeutic ultrasound for symptomatic calcific tendinitis. DESIGN: This is a long-term follow-up of 45 shoulders (37 patients) that had been treated for symptomatic calcific tendinitis with either a series of ultrasound or sham ultrasound 10 yrs ago. The main outcome variables were presence of calcium deposits and subacromial impingement on standardized x-ray imaging, shoulder symptoms (Binder score), and function (Constant score). RESULTS: At 10 yrs, a similar proportion of calcium deposits had resolved in 78% of the originally ultrasound treated compared with 83% of sham-treated shoulders, whereas at 9 mos, significantly more calcium deposits had been resolved in the ultrasound group (P = 0.045). Relative to baseline, shoulder symptoms and function had significantly improved at both the 10-yr and 9-mo follow-up examinations with no significant differences between groups. Regular sports performance at baseline predicted a favorable long-term outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic calcific tendinitis of the shoulder has a good likelihood to completely resolve in the long term. Treating the calcium deposit effectively, however, may not be causal to the recovery from symptoms and function in calcific tendinitis.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to follow both the structure- and function-related long-term course of shoulders that had been treated with therapeutic ultrasound for symptomatic calcific tendinitis. DESIGN: This is a long-term follow-up of 45 shoulders (37 patients) that had been treated for symptomatic calcific tendinitis with either a series of ultrasound or sham ultrasound 10 yrs ago. The main outcome variables were presence of calcium deposits and subacromial impingement on standardized x-ray imaging, shoulder symptoms (Binder score), and function (Constant score). RESULTS: At 10 yrs, a similar proportion of calcium deposits had resolved in 78% of the originally ultrasound treated compared with 83% of sham-treated shoulders, whereas at 9 mos, significantly more calcium deposits had been resolved in the ultrasound group (P = 0.045). Relative to baseline, shoulder symptoms and function had significantly improved at both the 10-yr and 9-mo follow-up examinations with no significant differences between groups. Regular sports performance at baseline predicted a favorable long-term outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic calcific tendinitis of the shoulder has a good likelihood to completely resolve in the long term. Treating the calcium deposit effectively, however, may not be causal to the recovery from symptoms and function in calcific tendinitis.