Treatment of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder by acetic acid iontophoresis: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of acetic acid iontophoresis on the treatment of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder.


METHODS
Double-blind randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Ambulatory academic hospital in Quebec, Canada.


METHODS
Thirty-six subjects with a calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder.


METHODS
Subjects were randomized into 1 of 2 groups: physiotherapy during 6 weeks (10 sessions) plus acetic acid iontophoresis for the treatment group (n=18) and sham acetic acid iontophoresis for the control group (n=18).


METHODS
The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), shoulder range of motion (ROM); and radiologic evaluation of shoulder calcifications.


RESULTS
Nine patients dropped out, leaving 27 assessable subjects for analysis. Interim analysis showed that, in both groups, treatment led to improvement, as measured by the SPADI score (P=.004), ROM of the shoulder for abduction (P<.001), internal rotation (P=.001), external rotation (P<.001), and the mean number of calcifications per subject (P=.010). Although no formal significant intervention effects (P=.13) were found for the primary endpoint (SPADI), exploratory analyses suggest a greater improvement in the treatment group (P=.001) than in the control group (P=.33).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a trend toward greater improvement in the SPADI score in the treatment group, the use of acetic acid iontophoresis and physiotherapy for the treatment of calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder did not result in better clinical and radiologic effects than those observed in subjects treated by physiotherapyalone.
Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu du Centre Hospitalier, Universitaire de Montréal, QC, Canada. bnleduc@citenet.net
Bernard E
BE
Leduc
Jocelyne
J
Caya
Sylvie
S
Tremblay
Nathalie J
NJ
Bureau
Marc
M
Dumont
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000473:pathology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D019342:Acetic Acid