Efficacy of Local Corticosteroid Injection for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Abstract

Clinical Question In patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), do local corticosteroid injections provide symptomatic relief beyond one month? Evidence-Based Answer Local steroid injections provide symptomatic relief for greater than one month in patients with CTS (Strength of Recommendation (SOR) A) and up to 12 months (SOR B). Local steroid injection also decreases the need for surgery at one year for patients with non-severe CTS (SOR B). Methodology A search was conducted on relevant studies published since a 2007 Cochrane review 1 of local steroid injection for CTS. PubMed and the Cochrane Database were searched from January 2007 to November 2014. Search terms included steroid injection, corticosteroid injection, injection, carpal tunnel, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Thirty-eight relevant studies were found, and of these, eight relevant studies have been published since the Cochrane review and were included in this review. Participants included adults ages 18 and older diagnosed with CTS. CTS may have been defined using clinical or electrodiagnostic criteria. Patients with all severities of CTS were included.