This randomised-controlled single-blind prospective study was carried out at a Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation out-patient clinic. After approval by the Ethics Committee,
all participants signed a written informed consent form. The research was conducted in
accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.
Participants
The study will include individuals with lateral epicondylitis who are between the ages of
20 and 60 and have had elbow pain for at least three months. Pain around the lateral
epicondyle during resisted extension of wrist and fingers and tenderness over the lateral
epicondyle were required for the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis. Patients with the
following exclusion criteria were not accepted into the study:
Recent upper-extremity surgery,
Recent upper extremity trauma, fracture, or dislocation,
Upper-extremity peripheral neuropathy,
Infectious processes of joint or soft tissues of the upper extremity
Decompensated heart or respiratory failure
Rheumatologic Diseases
Psychiatric Disorders
History of allergy to ingredients of injection solution
Demographic informations were recorded. Severity of elbow pain in resting, activity and
if present night pain were recorded according to Visual analogue Scale (VAS). Functional
impairment were evaluated with short version of the upper limb-specific Disabilities of
Arms, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-Dash) and Oxford Elbow Score.
Following clinical assessment, patients were divided into three treatment groups
randomly. Mesotherapy, Prolotherapy and Control groups. Exercise and resting wrist
splints were recommended for all groups.
The first group received mesotherapy: For this group, a solution containing 1 cc each of
lidocaine, pentoxifylline, vitamin B complex diluted 1/10 with saline, thiocolchicoside,
and meloxicam diluted 1/5 with saline will be made. A 30 gauge, 4 mm mesotherapy injector
will be used for the application. The lateral epicondyle will be the site of an
intradermal injection. Of that amount, 2.5 cc will be applied point-by-point at intervals
of 1-2 cm, and the remaining 2.5 cc will be applied using the napage method, 0.1 cc of
solution were given with each injection.
Group 2 received dextrose prolotherapy: A 22 gauge syringe was used to apply a total of 5
cc of 15% dextrose solution (a combination of 3.75 ml 20% dextrose and 1.25 mg 2%
lidocaine) to at least 5 most sensitive points of the lateral epicondyle. It was injected
3 times with 3 weeks intervals.
Only exercise and resting wrist splints will be administered to the third group, which is
the control group.
All measures were conducted at baseline, after treatment, at 3th and 8th weeks
follow-ups.