[Results of radiation therapy in periarthritis humeroscapularis].
BACKGROUND
Radiation therapy is applied in painful degenerative shoulder diseases. Aim of this work was to evaluate the contribution of radiation therapy to symptomatic improvement in periarthritis humeroscapularis.


METHODS
Ninety-four patients with periarthritis humeroscapularis were treated in two institutions. Mean age was 68 years, sex distribution were 32 men and 62 women. In 58 cases the right side was affected, left in 36 cases. At single doses of 0.75 Gy once a week a total dose of 6 Gy was applied (Fig. 1). The treatment effect was evaluated by the standardized von Pannewitz-score at the end of the treatment up to 6 months thereafter.


RESULTS
The treatment results of all the 94 patients were documentated at the end of therapy. Seventy-one patients were followed at least for further 4 months. Radiogenic side-effects were not noticed. The symptoms of 54 patients (57.4%) were improved or vanished, in 40 cases the symptoms were not significantly affected (42.6%) (Table 1). Four months after therapy 42 of 71 patients were improved (59.2%), 29 unchanged (40.8%) (Table 2). The treatment effect occured typically up to 2 months after therapy, there were no age-related differences. Also in recurrent radiation therapies the symptoms improved, in 80 percent after one preceding therapy (Table 3), however only in 31.2 percent after multiple prior radiotherapies (Table 4).


CONCLUSIONS
Radiation therapy is effective in the symptomatic treatment of periarthritis humeroscapularis. Treatment should be performed early after initial conservative treatment prior to any invasive therapy.
Schultze
Jürgen
J
Klinik für Strahlentherapie (Radioonkologie), Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 9, 24105 Kiel. schultze@onco.uni-kiel.de
Schlichting
Gregor
G
Galalae
Razvan
R
Koltze
Hans
H
Kimmig
Bernhard
B
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010489:Periarthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000528:radiation effects*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome