title: Factors predictive of positive response to steroid therapy in simple bone cysts: an old trick that still works.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to identify clinical, demographic and radiological factors predicting a positive response to steroid treatment in simple bone cysts (SBCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted on 62 patients. The mean follow-up period was 9.2 years after the final steroid injection. Recurrences were defined according to Neer's scale as modified by Chang et al.. To identify predictive factors, the group of patients who positively responded to treatment (Neer stages I and II, n = 39, 62.9 %, group 1) were compared with the group in which recurrences occurred (Nerr stages III and IV, n = 23, 37.1 %, group 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recurrences were experienced by 37.1 % of the patients (n = 23). Cyst location, numbers of cavities (uni- or multilocular), the area of the cyst and its Enneking stage differed significantly between the groups (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Steroid therapy may be of benefit in patients with unilocular, small-sized, humeral cysts, classified as Enneking stage IA.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Rzgowska 281/289, 93-338, Lodz, Poland. flont2002@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flont
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolacinska-Flont
authors.forename: Kryspin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Niedzielski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001845:Bone Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D008775:Methylprednisolone