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document
Iontophoretic administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate for acute epicondylitis . A randomized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled study . BACKGROUND A better treatment modality is needed to control the pain of medial or lateral epicondylitis ( tennis elbow ) . HYPOTHESIS Dermal iontophoretic administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate will be significantly more effective in controlling pain than a placebo in patients with medial or lateral elbow epicondylitis . STUDY DESIGN Randomized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled study . METHODS On six occasions , 1 to 3 days apart within 15 days , 199 patients with elbow epicondylitis received 40 mA-minutes of either active or placebo treatment . RESULTS Dexamethasone produced a significant 23-mm improvement on the 100-mm patient visual analog scale ratings , compared with 14 mm for placebo at 2 days and 24 mm compared with 19 mm at 1 month . More patients treated with dexamethasone than those treated with placebo scored moderate or better on the investigator 's global improvement scale ( 52 % versus 33 % ) at 2 days , but the difference was not significant at 1 month ( 54 % versus 49 % ) . Investigator-rated pain and tenderness scores favored dexamethasone over placebo at 2 days . Patients completing six treatments in 10 days or less had better results than those treated over a longer period . CONCLUSIONS Iontophoresis treatment was well tolerated by most patients and was effective in reducing symptoms of epicondylitis at short-term follow-up .
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Intervention_Physical
Iontophoretic
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Intervention_Pharmacological
dexamethasone sodium phosphate
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Intervention_Control
placebo-controlled
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Intervention_Pharmacological
iontophoretic
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Intervention_Pharmacological
dexamethasone
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Intervention_Pharmacological
placebo-controlled
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Intervention_Pharmacological
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
Dexamethasone
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Intervention_Pharmacological
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
dexamethasone
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Physical
Iontophoresis
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Physical
medial or lateral epicondylitis ( tennis elbow )
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Pain
100-mm patient visual analog scale ratings
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Outcome_Physical
investigator 's global improvement scale
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Outcome_Pain
Investigator-rated pain and tenderness scores
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Outcome_Other
tolerated
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Outcome_Physical
symptoms of epicondylitis
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Participant_Condition
acute epicondylitis
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Participant_Condition
pain of medial or lateral epicondylitis ( tennis elbow )
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Participant_Condition
medial or lateral elbow epicondylitis
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Participant_Condition
epicondylitis