BMJ  2004;328:869 (10 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.38039.573970.7C (published 23 March 2004)

Primary care

Corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis of the knee: meta-analysis

¹ Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, School of Population Health University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 Auckland

Objectives To determine the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis of the knee and to identify numbers needed to treat.

Data sources Cochrane controlled trials register, Medline (1966 to 2003), Embase (1980 to 2003), hand searches, and contact with authors.

Inclusion criteria Randomised controlled trial in which the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis of the knee could be ascertained.

Results In high quality studies, the pooled relative risk for improvement in symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee at 16-24 weeks after intra-articular corticosteroid injections was 2.09 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 3.7) and the number needed to treat was 4.4. The pooled relative risk for improvement up to two weeks after injections was 1.66 (1.37 to 2.0). In the statistically significant studies the numbers needed to treat to get one improvement was 1.3 to 3.5 patients.

Conclusion Evidence supports short term (up to two weeks) improvement in symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee after intra-articular corticosteroid injection. Significant improvement was also shown in the only methodologically sound studies addressing longer term response (16-24 weeks). A dose equivalent to 50 mg of prednisone may be needed to show benefit at 16-24 weeks.

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Experiential evidence

Dr.Sidha S Sambandan
bmj.com, 4 Apr 2004 [Full text]

Corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis of the knee

Louis I Jones
bmj.com, 22 Apr 2004 [Full text]

What adverse effects of corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis of the knee need consideration?

Andrew Herxheimer
bmj.com, 12 Jul 2004 [Full text]