[Comparison of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) with roentgen irradiation in supraspinatus tendon syndrome--a prospective randomized single-blind parallel group comparison].
OBJECTIVE
Extracorporal shock wave therapy (FSWT) is applied in the case of supraspinatus tendinitis if conservative therapies have failed. So far there has been no controlled study comparing the effectiveness of ESWT with an established conservative method of therapy such as X-ray stimulation radiotherapy.


METHODS
Thirty patients with chronic supraspinatus tendinitis were admitted into the prospective randomised study. After randomisation, the patients were treated either three times with 2000 pulses (energy flux density ED+ 0.33 mJ/mm2) with a Storz Minilith SL1 after one week, or with X-ray stimulation radiotherapy with 6 x 0.5 Gy on the ICRU reference point (1 neutral fraction/day) with cobalt 60 gamma rays. Primary endpoint was the age-corrected constant score.


RESULTS
In the ESWT group the average age-corrected constant score rose from 50.1 points before ESWT to 91.5 points after 12 weeks and to 97.8 after 52 weeks. In the radiotherapy group it improved from 47.6 through 79.5 points to 87.4 points.


CONCLUSIONS
No statistically significant differences were proven between ESWT and radiotherapy. ESWT appears to be at least equivalent to radiotherapy in treating chronic supraspinatus tendinitis syndrome and can avoid a dose of radiation for patients and staff. A comprehensive randomised study is, however necessary to ensure the equivalence of ESWT.
Haake
M
M
Orthopädische Klinik, Philipps-Universität Marburg. haake2@mailer.uni-marburg.de
Sattler
A
A
Gross
M W
MW
Schmitt
J
J
Hildebrandt
R
R
Müller
H H
HH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011867:Radioisotope Teletherapy; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes
Vergleich der extrakorporalen Stosswellentherapie (ESWT) mit der Röntgenreizbestrahlung beim Supraspinatussehnensyndrom--Ein prospektiver randomisierter einfachblinder Parallelgruppenvergleich.