The effectiveness of 2 consecutive intra-articular polydeoxyribonucleotide injections compared with intra-articular triamcinolone for hemiplegic shoulder pain: A STROBE-complaint retrospective study

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intra-articular injection of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), compared with intraarticular triamcinolone (TA) injection, in subacute stroke patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP). Participants were subacute stroke patients with HSP who had undergone 2 consecutive intra-articular injections of TA or PDRN. Numeric rating scale (NRS) and passive range of motion (PROM) of hemiplegic shoulder were evaluated until 4 weeks after 2nd injection. In the results, there were significant improvements in all PROM measures 2 weeks after the second injection, compared with pre-injection results, in both groups (P < .05). In the PDRN group, however, none of the PROM measures were significantly improved at 3 and 4 weeks after the second injection, compared with pre-injection results (P ≥ .05). When comparing pre-injection results with those at 4 weeks after the second injection, all PROM and NRS measures in the TA group were more improved than in the PDRN group, but this was not statistically significant (P ≥ .05). In conclusion, considering the systemic side effects of steroids, especially among patients with diabetes or metabolic syndrome, PDRN seems to be a worthwhile treatment option for HSP, although PDRN does not seem to have an equivalent persistence effects when compared with TA.