title: Treatment of nonseptic olecranon bursitis. A controlled, blinded prospective trial.
abstract: We enrolled 42 patients with nonseptic olecranon bursitis in a double-blind prospective treatment trial to compare the efficacy of an intrabursal steroid preparation with that of an oral anti-inflammatory agent. Patients were randomized into one of four treatment regimens: (1) methylprednisolone acetate (20 mg) intrabursal injection and oral naproxen (1 g/d for 10 days), (2) methylprednisolone acetate (20 mg) intrabursal injection and oral placebo for 10 days, (3) oral naproxen (1 g/d for 10 days), and (4) oral placebo for 10 days. The degree of swelling in millimeters was assessed at study introduction and at 1, 3, and 6 weeks. At 6 months, the number of patients requiring reaspiration for bursitis recurrence was tabulated. Data at 1 week indicated that patients treated with an intrabursal methylprednisolone acetate injection (20 mg) demonstrated the most rapid decrease in swelling. At 6 weeks, the methylprednisolone-treated groups demonstrated sustained improvement. At 6 months, the mean number of reaspirations per patient for reaccumulation of bursal fluid was higher in groups 3 (1.0 +/- 1.2) and 4 (0.4 +/- 0.7). An intrabursal methylprednisolone acetate 20-mg injection seems to be the most effective treatment regimen for nonseptic olecranon bursitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: McAfee
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Romney
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002062:Bursitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004551:Elbow Joint; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009288:Naproxen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014457:Ulna
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D009288:Naproxen; D008775:Methylprednisolone