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Introduction: Flexor tendon entrapment of the digits (FTED) is a disorder characterized by snapping or locking of the thumb or fingers (with or without pain) and called trigger finger. Corticosteroid injections are one of the most commonly used treatments for chronic tendon disorders. Despite their popularity, the systematic evidence for their benefits are largely lacking. This study tries to determine the efficacy of local corticosteroid injection in treatment of trigger finger. Materials and Methods: This is a clinical trial research. Variables including local tenderness, trigerring stage, pain during isometric flexion and passive stretching of the tendon (based on VAS) were evaluated before local injection of corticosteroid and then 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after the injection. Data was collected by special forms and analyzed using Chi square and ANOVA Tests. Results: The difference between persence of A1 pulley tenderness in 4 examinations was significant (p<0.0001). The difference between pain induced by isometric flexion and pain induced by stretching the tendon passively in extension was also significant (both p<0.0001). The difference between frequency distribution of triggering was significant (p<0.0001). Patients satisfaction was 90% . Conclusion: The rate of success in local corticosteroid injection was 90% (only with one injection). The high rate of success and low side effects, make this method a suitable treatment for trigger finger.

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Background: Brucellosis is an endemic disease in Iran and its treatment is a medical problem. This study was performed to observe the influence of the administration of corticosteroid on symptomatology of subjects with acute, subacute, and chronic brucellosis. Materials and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 48 patients with brucellosis were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group (N=30) received the standard regimen plus dexamethasone (4 mg t.d.s for 5 days) and the second group (N=17) received only the standard regimen. The results of corticosteroid administration were evaluated according to such factors as clinical status of the patient, duration of hospital stay, duration of illness, pain score, and use of analgesics. The results were analyzed by Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, independent sample t-test, and Mann-Whitney test. Results: No significant differences were seen in the mean of hospital stay, duration of illness, and use of oral and injectable analgesics between the two groups (P<0.05). Also, there was not a significant difference in mean pain score reduction between groups 1 and 2 (P<0.05). Conclusion: Noticing the findings of this study, corticosteroid does not seem to alter the clinical course of brucellosis significantly. Nevertheless, further controlled clinical trials with larger sample sizes are recommended

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Background: Adenoidal hypertrophy is a common condition of childhood, when abstructive sleep apnea ocurs adenoidectomy is indicated. In less sever cases, non surgical interventions maybe considered, however few medical altematives are currently available. Intranasal steroids used to reduce nasal airway obstruction. The aim  of this study to assesthe effectiveness of intranasal corticosteroids for improving nasal airway obstruction and in children with adenoid hypertrophy.

Materials and methods: 77 children 1-12 years exhibiting adenoid hypertrophy symptom and confirmed with radiologic imaging and without tonsilar hypertropy that not inclined to surgery were included and divided two groups in one group were treatend with intranasal betanethason 3 times daily for 3 weeks and and second group treatend with intranasal NACL as placebo. The subjects were assessed for airway obstruction symptoms including, snoring mounth breathing and prulaunt rhinorea, via questionarre ear examination, first month and third month of treatment.

Results: Intranasal betanethasone improved airway obstruction symptoms especially night snoring but hadn’t effective on other symptoms and infection complications including rhinorea.

Conclusion: Intranasal betanethasone can be used as alterative treatment for adenoidal hypertroply because its effect on airway obstruction symptoms due to probably reduction adenoideal size.

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Background: Lateral epicondylitis may cause pain and functional disability in many daily activities. Steroid injection or phonophoresis are the recommended treatments in this regard. In this study, we aim to compare the effect of ultrasound guided local injection of dexamethasone with dexamethasone phonophoresis for treatment of lateral epicondylitis.

Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, patients with lateral epicondylitis were randomely assigned to injection (n=18) and phonophoresis (n=18) groups. Three patients in phonophoresis group dropped out from the study. In injection group, dexamethasone with lidocaine was injected once with the guide of sonography at the base of common extensor tendon. Phonophoresis group received 5 minutes treatment with ultrasound using dexamethasone gel for 10 sessions. Patients’ pain in total and in specific and usual activities according to PRTEE questionnaire before, one and three months after treatment was calculated.

Results: Injection group compared to phonophoresis had significantly better improvement in pain (p=0.04), but there was no significant difference in serial changes of functional subscale and total score of PRTEE between groups. Injection group compared to phonophoresis had also better pain and total score one month after treatment (p=0.003 and p=0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Dexamethasone injection compared to phonophoresis had significant improvement in patients’ pain which was more apparent one month after treatment, but the results were similar between groups three months after treatment.