Table 3 Secondary outcomes. Mean (sd) scores and percentage (99 % CI) for secondary outcome measures at each follow up. Between group differences in estimated mean score using linear generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression model adjusted for significant covariates; between groups estimated odds ratio (OR) for no pain on two isometric movements using logistic GEE regression model adjusted for significant covariates; 99 % confidence intervals
Mean scores (sd) for each intervention | Difference in estimated mean score (99 % CI) between groups | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outcome measure | Follow up | Control | Placebo injection with physiotherapy | Corticosteroid injection (CI) with physiotherapy | Placebo injection with physiotherapy versus control | P | CI with physiotherapy versus control | P | CI with physiotherapy versus placebo injection with physiotherapy | P |
Negative value favours first treatment in comparison | ||||||||||
Pain Score on VAS (0: no pain, 100: worst pain) | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 44 (25) | 45 (23) | 29 (25) | −3.7 (−12.4 to 5.0) | 0.27 | −3.2 (−12.0 to 5.6) | 0.35 | 0.53 (−8.4 to 9.4) | 0.88 | |
12 weeks | 33 (26) | 33 (26) | 41 (26) | −3.7 (−12.5 to 5.1) | 0.28 | 0.2 (−8.5 to 8.9) | 0.95 | 3.9 (−4.9 to 12.7) | 0.25 | |
26 weeks | 19 (22) | 21 (22) | 38 (28) | −3.6 (−12.4 to 5.2) | 0.29 | 1.8 (−7.0 to 10.6) | 0.60 | 5.4 (−3.6 to 14.4) | 0.12 | |
52 weeks | 13 (19) | 9 (11) | 19 (23) | −6.0 (−14.9 to 2.9) | 0.09 | −2.9 (−11.8 to 6.0) | 0.40 | 3.0 (−6.0 to 12.0) | 0.38 | |
Affected Function on VAS (0: not affected, 100: very much affected) | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 38(26) | 45 (24) | 25 (23) | 8.3 (−1.8 to 18.4) | 0.04 | 7.5 (−2.8 to 17.8) | 0.06 | −0.8 (−11.2 to 9.6) | 0.85 | |
12 weeks | 34 (28) | 32 (25) | 37 (29) | −1.2 (−11.5 to 9.0) | 0.76 | 3.4 (−6.8 to 13.5) | 0.40 | 4.6 (−5.7 to 14.9) | 0.25 | |
26 weeks | 16 (20) | 17 (22) | 28 (25) | 0.29 (−10.0 to 10.6) | 0.94 | 4.4 (−5.9 to 14.7) | 0.27 | 4.1 (−6.4 to 14.6) | 0.31 | |
52 weeks | 10 (17) | 9 (15) | 16 (22) | 0.24 (−10.2 to 10.7) | 0.95 | 6.0 (−4.4 to 16.4) | 0.14 | 5.8 (−4.7 to 16.2) | 0.16 | |
Overall Complaints on VAS (0: no complaints, 100: very large complaints) | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 51 (28) | 50 (26) | 32 (26) | −1.5 (−9.2 to 6.2) | 0.62 | −6.9 (−14.7 to 0.9) | 0.02 | −5.4 (−13.3 to 2.4) | 0.08 | |
12 weeks | 36 (27) | 35 (28) | 43 (30) | 1.6 (−6.1 to 9.4) | 0.59 | −2.2 (−9.9 to 5.5) | 0.47 | −3.8 (−11.6 to 3.9) | 0.21 | |
26 weeks | 18 (20) | 19 (23) 36 (26) | 1.9 (−5.9 to 9.7) | 0.52 | −0.5 (−8.3 to 7.3) | 0.86 | −2.5 (−10.4 to 5.5) | 0.42 | ||
52 weeks | 12 (19) | 9 (13) | 20 (24) | 2.5 (−5.4 to 10.3) | 0.42 | −1.0 (−8.9 to 6.9) | 0.74 | −3.5 (−11.4 to 4.5) | 0.26 | |
Positive value favours first treatment in comparison | ||||||||||
Pain‐free grip strength ratio (x 100)+ | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 57 (32) | 50 (29) | 58 (35) | 6.1 (−15.9 to 28.1) | 0.47 | 1.8 (−20.6 to 24.22) | 0.84 | −4.3 (−26.9 to 18.2) | 0.62 | |
12 weeks | 63 (36) | 55 (25) | 64 (43) | 0.6 (−21.9 to 23.2) | 0.94 | −3.4 (−25.7 to 18.9) | 0.70 | −4.0 (−26.4 to 18.4) | 0.65 | |
26 weeks | 74 (37) | 76 (27) | 82 (48) | 10.0 (−12.9 to 32.8) | 0.26 | 3.4 (−19.4 to 26.2) | 0.70 | −6.6 (−29.8 to 16.6) | 0.47 | |
52 weeks | 91 (23) | 90 (23) | 100 (33) | 11.8 (−11.7 to 35.4) | 0.24 | 7.9 (−15.5 to 31.2) | 0.39 | −4.0 (−28.3 to 19.3) | 0.66 | |
Maximum grip strength ratio (x 100)+ | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 74 (27) | 80 (25) | 87 (26) | 1.7 (−14.6 to 18.0) | 0.79 | 6.8 (−9.8 to 23.4) | 0.29 | 5.1 (−11.6 to 21.8) | 0.43 | |
12 weeks | 89 (28) | 88 (23) | 83 (29) | −7.2 (−23.7 to 9.3) | 0.26 | −3.7 (−20.2 to 12.7) | 0.57 | 3.6 (−13.0 to 20.1) | 0.58 | |
26 weeks | 99 (19) | 99 (20) | 89 (27) | −4.5 (−21.0 to 12.0) | 0.48 | −2.7 (−19.3 to 13.9) | 0.67 | 1.8 (−15.1 to 18.6) | 0.79 | |
52 weeks | 104 (15) | 102 (17) | 96 (19) | −7.6 (−24.3 to 9.2) | 0.25 | −5.0 (−21.7 to 11.7) | 0.44 | 2.6 (−14.3 to 19.4) | 0.70 | |
Negative value favours first treatment in comparison | ||||||||||
Pain Free Function Index (0–8, 0: full function, 8: no function) | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 4.82 (2.16) | 4.40 (2.01) | 2.78 (2.22) | −0.13 (−1.20 to 0.94) | 0.76 | −0.52 (−1.60 to 0.57) | 0.22 | −0.39 (−1.49 to 0.71) | 0.36 | |
12 weeks | 3.37 (2.36) | 3.62 (2.43) | 3.42 (2.63) | 0.38 (−0.70 to 1.46) | 0.36 | −0.15 (−1.22 to 0.92) | 0.72 | −0.54 (−1.62 to 0.55) | 0.20 | |
26 weeks | 2.00 (2.25) | 1.83 (2.08) | 2.97 (2.53) | −0.04 (−1.12 to 1.05) | 0.93 | 0.46 (−0.63 to 1.55) | 0.27 | 0.50 (−0.61 to 1.60) | 0.24 | |
52 weeks | 1.40 (1.90) | 1.03 (1.67) | 1.64 (2.04) | −0.18 (−1.28 to 0.92) | 0.67 | 0.01 (−1.08 to 1.11) | 0.98 | 0.20 (−0.91 to 1.30) | 0.65 | |
Percentage (99 % CI) for each intervention | Estimated Odds Ratio (99 % CI) between groups | |||||||||
OR > 1 favours first treatment in comparison | ||||||||||
No pain on three point Likert scale on dorsiflexion of wrist++ | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 8 (−1 to 18) | 3 (−3 to 10) | 36 (20 to 52) | 0.38 (0.04 to 3.96) | 0.29 | 3.47 (0.71 to 17.1) | 0.04 | 9.2 (1.09 to 77.74)* | <0.01 | |
12 weeks | 17 (4 to 29) | 12 (1 to 23) | 22 (8 to 36) | 1.07 (0.06 to 18.18) | 0.95 | 0.66 (0.07 to 5.82) | 0.63 | 0.62 (0.04 to 9.01) | 0.65 | |
26 weeks | 38 (22 to 54) | 29 (14 to 45) | 19 (6 to 32) | 1.76 (0.13 to 24.65) | 0.58 | 0.20 (0.02 to 1.63) | 0.048 | 0.11 (0.01 to 1.45) | 0.03 | |
52 weeks | 50 (33 to 67) | 60 (4 to 77) | 36 (20 to 52) | 3.88 (0.29 to 53.02) | 0.18 | 0.23 (0.03 to 1.71) | 0.06 | 0.06 (0.01 to 0.69)* | <0.01 | |
No pain on three point Likert scale on isometric extension of third finger++ | ||||||||||
6 weeks | 17 (4 to 29) | 16 (3 to 28) | 44 (27 to 61) | 0.90 (0.22 to 3.70) | 0.84 | 2.95 (0.81 to 10.72) | 0.03 | 3.29 (0.88 to 12.27) | 0.02 | |
12 weeks | 22 (8 to 35) | 24 (10 to 39) | 36 (20 to 52) | 1.21 (0.18 to 8.03) | 0.80 | 1.14 (0.19 to 6.97) | 0.86 | 0.94 (0.15 to 5.87) | 0.93 | |
26 weeks | 58 (42 to 75) | 53 (37 to 70) | 31 (15 to 46) | 1.07 (0.17 to 6.61) | 0.93 | 0.17 (0.03 to 0.96)* | <0.01 | 0.16 (0.03 to 0.93)* | <0.01 | |
52 weeks | 63 (47 to 79) | 76 (61 to 90) | 53 (36 to 69) | 2.04 (0.30 to 13.96) | 0.34 | 0.33 (0.06 to 1.98) | 0.11 | 0.16 (0.03 to 1.06) | 0.012 | |