Effects of intra-articular corticosteroid injections on lumbar trabecular density

To determine whether stress fractures are associated with bone microstructural deterioration we quantified distal radial and the unfractured distal tibia using high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography in 26 cases with lower limb stress fractures (15 males, 11 females; mean age 37.1 ± 3.1 years) and 62 age-matched healthy controls (24 males, 38 females; mean age 35.0 ± 1.6 years). Relative to controls, in men, at the distal radius, cases had smaller cortical cross sectional area (CSA) (p = 0.012), higher porosity of the outer transitional zone (OTZ) (p = 0.006), inner transitional zone (ITZ) (p = 0.043) and the compact-appearing cortex (CC) (p = 0.023) while trabecular vBMD was lower (p = 0.002). At the distal tibia, cases also had a smaller cortical CSA (p = 0.008). Cortical porosity was not higher, but trabecular vBMD was lower (p = 0.001). Relative to controls, in women, cases had higher distal radial porosity of the OTZ (p = 0.028), ITZ (p = 0.030) not CC (p = 0.054). Trabecular vBMD was lower (p = 0.041). Distal tibial porosity was higher in the OTZ (p = 0.035), ITZ (p = 0.009), not CC. Stress fractures are associated with compromised cortical and trabecular microstructure.

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Do Corticosteroid Injections for the Treatment of Pain Influence the Efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines?

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnab063 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 994-1000

Author(s):

Haewon Lee ◽

Jennifer A Punt ◽

David C Miller ◽

Ameet Nagpal ◽

Clark C Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hpa Axis ◽

Ribonucleic Acid ◽

Direct Evidence ◽

Corticosteroid Injection ◽

Vaccine Dose ◽

Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal ◽

Messenger Ribonucleic Acid ◽

Corticosteroid Injections

Abstract Myth Corticosteroid injection for the treatment of pain and inflammation is known to decrease the efficacy of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Fact There is currently no direct evidence to suggest that a corticosteroid injection before or after the administration of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine decreases the efficacy of the vaccine. However, based on the known timeline of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression following epidural and intraarticular corticosteroid injections, and the timeline of the reported peak efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, physicians should consider timing an elective corticosteroid injection such that it is administered no less than 2 weeks prior to a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose and no less than 1 week following a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose, whenever possible.

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A New Consideration for Corticosteroid Injections (CSI): SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.

The Journal Of Hand Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.jhsa.2021.07.002 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ian Powelson ◽

Robert A. Kaufmann ◽

Natasha M. Chida ◽

Jaimie T. Shores

Keyword(s):

Corticosteroid Injections

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Clinical outcomes of pediatric macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection ◽

10.1186/s12348-021-00236-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anh Hong Nguyen ◽

Bethlehem Mekonnen ◽

Eric Kim ◽

Nisha R. Acharya

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Macular Edema ◽

San Francisco ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Corticosteroid Injections

Abstract Background Macular edema (ME) is the most frequent cause of irreversible visual impairment in patients with uveitis. To date, little data exists about the clinical course of ME in pediatric patients. A retrospective, observational study was performed to examine the visual and macular thickness outcomes of ME associated with chronic, noninfectious uveitis in pediatric patients. Methods Pediatric patients with noninfectious uveitis complicated by ME seen in the University of California San Francisco Health System from 2012 to 2018 were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Data were collected from medical records including demographics, diagnoses, ocular history, OCT imaging findings, complications, and treatments at first encounter and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between different classes of treatment (steroid drops, steroid injections, oral steroids and other immunosuppressive therapies) and resolution of macular edema. Results The cohort comprised of 21 children (26 eyes) with a mean age of 10.5 years (SD 3.3). Undifferentiated uveitis was the most common diagnosis, affecting 19 eyes (73.1%). The majority of observed macular edema was unilateral (16 patients, 76.2%) and 5 patients had bilateral macular edema. The mean duration of follow-up at UCSF was 35.3 months (SD 25.7). By 12 months, 18 eyes (69.2%) had achieved resolution of ME. The median time to resolution was 3 months (IQR 3–6 months). Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline was 0.54 logMAR (Snellen 20/69, IQR 20/40 to 20/200). Median BCVA at 12 months was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 20/25, IQR 20/20 to 20/50) Corticosteroid injections were associated with a 4.0-fold higher rate of macular edema resolution (95% CI 1.3–12.2, P = 0.01). Conclusions Although only 15% of the pediatric patients with uveitis in the study cohort had ME, it is clinically important to conduct OCTs to detect ME in this population. Treatment resulted in 69% of eyes achieving resolution of ME by 12 months, accompanied with improvement in visual acuity. Corticosteroid injections were significantly associated with resolution of macular edema.

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