Steroid Therapy

Prednisolone Trimethylacetate in Intra-articular Therapy

“…Thompson (1957) reported no significant difference between prednisolone acetate, prednisolone trimethylacetate, and hydrocortisone acetate in the treatment of large or medium-sized rheumatoid joints. Glyn and Newton (1958) comment that limited experience has not shown prednisolone trimethylacetate to possess any advantage over hydrocortisone acetate. They were, however, referring to the treatment of soft-tissue lesions.…”

The Painful Shoulder

“…He demonstrated no more than short-lived improvement in pain and movement in the injection group at 2 months. Studies by Robecchi & Capra (1953) and Kendall (1956) apparently showed more benefit from steroid injections in a capsulitis group but those of Cyriax & Trosier (1953) and Glyn & Newton (1958) did not. A retrospective survey by Hazleman (1972) in this group and specifically excluding rotator cuff lesions showed no difference between steroid injections, physiotherapy and manipulation under anaesthetic.…”

Discussion on the Painful Shoulder

“…Kuipers (1954) considered that the results of local steroid injection were inferior to systemic administration. Glyn and Newton (1958) also disclaimed the value of local hydrocortisone injections in cases of established periarthritis of the shoulder.…”

“…The first of these is the pathological approach. Glyn and Newton (1958), in their excellent review of steroid therapy, stated "from a therapeutic point of view, local steroid injection therapy is a field in which empiricism has triumphed over science". This is open to question.…”