Journal of Clinical Medicine
Short-Term Outcomes After Corticosteroid Injection in Patients with Clinically Diagnosed Subacromial Pain Suggestive of Bursitis
By Christoph A Schroen, Alexander Yu, Akiro H. Duey and 7 others.
Abstract
Background
The current diagnostic paradigm for clinically suspected subacromial bursitis is based on clinical history and physical examination. However, clinical signs frequently overlap with other pathologies. This study investigated short-term outcomes following the currently employed clinical criteria by comparing patients who met these criteria and received an injection with those who were offered but refused an injection.
Methods
From July 2024 to April 2025, patients with symptoms of clinically suspected subacromial bursitis were enrolled and offered a corticosteroid injection. Patients were grouped based on whether they agreed to and received an injection or not. Range of motion (ROM) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were collected at the initial visit and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire scores were collected using questionnaires emailed 2 weeks after the initial visit. This was a prospective, non-randomized observational study with treatment determined by patient preference. VAS and DASH were the primary outcomes.