Risk analysis of musculoskeletal pain intervention using corticosteroid during COVID-19 pandemic: A cohort study

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Abstract

Background: Most international bodies recommended against musculoskeletal steroid injection during the COVID-19 pandemic, fearing that the immunosuppressive effects of the steroid could worsen COVID-19 infection, thus prolonging the suffering of patients with severe musculoskeletal disease. The authors' aim is to analyze the risk of COVID-19 infection after musculoskeletal injections.Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients who visited a sports medicine clinic and received musculoskeletal steroid injections between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. The collected data was compared with the national COVID-19 registry to identify positive COVID-19 patients. The patients were only considered positive for COVID-19 following corticosteroid injection within 3 months after injection.Results: Out of 502 steroid injections; 79.7% (n = 400) received a single injection in one day, 19.1% (n = 96) received steroid injections at 2 sites in one day, and 1.2% (n = 6) received steroid injections at 3 sites in one day. Using the Fisher & apos;s exact test, there was no statistically significant association of COVID-19 infection between the steroid group and control group (relative risk, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-23.1, P = 0.654). Only one patient contracted mild COVID-19 with no post COVID complications.Conclusions: The authors recommend the use of musculoskeletal steroid injections in clinically indicated situation without having increased risk of COVID-19.

Keywords

COVID-19, Injections, Malaysia, Musculoskeletal Pain, Pain Management, Pandemics, Risk Factors, Steroids

Publication Title

Korean Journal of Pain

Divisions

fac_med

Funders

None

Volume

36

Issue

1

Publisher

Korean Pain Society

Publisher Location

1705, YANGJAE SK HUB PRIMO, 953-1 DOGOK-DONG, GANGNAM-GU, SEOUL, 135-270, SOUTH KOREA

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