Low and High Dose Dextrose Prolotherapy in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis

Overview

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is an enthesopathy seen in 1-2% of the population aged 30-65 years, which can occur in the lateral epicondyle origo of the extensor carpi radialis brevis and longus muscles, after frequently repetitive activities and can lead to limitations in the daily life activities of the patients. The diagnosis is made by anamnesis and clinical examination, cases that last more than 3 months are defined as chronic lateral epicondylitis. Treatment options are analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hand-wrist splints, eccentric strengthening exercises for forearm muscles and wrist dorsiflexors, injection therapies, physical therapy agents such as therapeutic ultrasound, ESWT(extracorporeal shockwave therapy), low-level laser therapy, and surgery. Prolotherapy is a treatment method that is performed with repetitive injections of a small amount of irritant or sclerosing solutions such as hypertonic dextrose, phenol-glycerin-glucose, or sodium morrhuate and aims to activate the healing process by increasing the blood flow around the damaged tendinopathy or enthesopathy area with the effect of these solutions. Hypertonic dextrose solutions in concentrations ranging from 12.5-20% are frequently used in prolotherapy. Prolotherapy can be done with ultrasound guidance or by determining anatomical landmarks. The injection is applied to the annular ligament, lateral epicondyle, and supracondylar area where the forearm extensor muscles adhere. Injection side effects and complications are pain, bruising, muscle spasm, nerve or vessel damage at the injection site. Based on previous studies, the low dose of dextrose solutions (1%, 5%, and 10%) may have a similar effect with fewer side effects than higher concentrations of dextrose solutions (15%, 20%, 25%) and the low dose may have fewer cell damage. Thus, it may be possible to apply an effective treatment method with fewer side effects in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Also, in this study, the effect of inflammation created by injection of saline in one group and the inflammatory, proliferative and angiogenic effects of dextrose injected in other groups at different concentrations on the treatment outcome will be compared.

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is an enthesopathy seen in 1-2% of the population aged 30-65 years, which can occur in the lateral epicondyle origo of the extensor carpi radialis brevis and longus muscles, after frequently repetitive activities and can lead to limitations in the daily life activities of the patients. The diagnosis is made by anamnesis and clinical examination, cases that last more than 3 months are defined as chronic lateral epicondylitis. Treatment options are analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hand-wrist splints, eccentric strengthening exercises for forearm muscles and wrist dorsiflexors, injection therapies, physical therapy agents such as therapeutic ultrasound, ESWT(extracorporeal shockwave therapy), low-level laser therapy, and surgery. Prolotherapy is a treatment method that is performed with repetitive injections of a small amount of irritant or sclerosing solutions such as hypertonic dextrose, phenol-glycerin-glucose, or sodium morrhuate and aims to activate the healing process by increasing the blood flow around the damaged tendinopathy or enthesopathy area with the effect of these solutions. Hypertonic dextrose solutions in concentrations ranging from 12.5-20% are frequently used in prolotherapy. Dextrose is an ideal proliferant agent due to its ability to dissolve in water, exists in the blood chemically, and to led safely apply to more than one place. It is known that hypertonic dextrose solutions dehydrate the cells in the injection area, cause local tissue trauma, attracts granulocytes and macrophages to the damaged area, and triggers healing. Prolotherapy can be done with ultrasound guidance or by determining anatomical landmarks. The injection is applied to the annular ligament, lateral epicondyle, and supracondylar area where the forearm extensor muscles adhere. Injection side effects and complications are pain, bruising, muscle spasm, nerve or vessel damage at the injection site. Based on previous studies, the low dose of dextrose solutions (1%, 5%, and 10%) may have a similar effect with fewer side effects than higher concentrations of dextrose solutions (15%, 20%, 25%) and the low dose may have fewer cell damage. Thus, it may be possible to apply an effective treatment method with fewer side effects in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Also, in this study, the effect of inflammation created by injection of saline in one group and the inflammatory, proliferative and angiogenic effects of dextrose injected in other groups at different concentrations on the treatment outcome will be compared.