Effectiveness of treatment of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder by disodium EDTA

• Published in: Arthritis and rheumatism 2009-01, Vol.61 (1), p.84-91
• Main Authors: Cacchio, Angelo, De Blasis, Elisabetta, Desiati, Piergiorgio, Spacca, Giorgio, Santilli, Valter, De Paulis, Fosco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Calcinosis - drug therapy; Calcinosis - physiopathology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Double-Blind Method; Edetic Acid - administration & dosage; Edetic Acid - adverse effects; Edetic Acid - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Juxtaarticular diseases. Extraarticular rhumatism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Pain - drug therapy; Phonophoresis; Shoulder Joint - physiopathology; Tendinopathy - drug therapy; Tendinopathy - physiopathology; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0004-3591; 0893-7524; 1529-0131; 1529-0123
• DOI: 10.1002/art.24370

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of disodium EDTA administration in the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Methods Eighty patients with radiographically verified calcific tendinitis of the shoulder were enrolled between September 2001 and October 2003. Patients were randomly assigned to either a study group (n = 40) or a control group (n = 40). Pain and functional level were evaluated before and after treatment and at 1‐year followup. Radiographic modifications in calcifications were evaluated before and after treatment. Disodium EDTA was administered through single needle mesotherapy and 15 minutes of pulsed‐mode 1 MHz‐ultrasound. Results The study group displayed improvement in all of the parameters analyzed after treatment and at the 1‐year followup. Calcifications disappeared completely in 62.5% of the patients in the study group and partially in 22.5%; calcifications partially disappeared in only 15% of the patients in the control group, and none displayed a complete disappearance. Conclusion Our results suggest that the use of disodium EDTA for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is safe and effective, leading to a significant reduction in pain, improvement in shoulder function, and disappearance of calcifications after 4 weeks, without adverse effects.