Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) versus local corticosteroid injection in treatment of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) in athletes: clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation

Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation

Table 6 Comparison between the studied groups according to US changes through follow-up periods

US changes		CS injection group (15) No. %		ESWT group (15) No. %		Statistical test (FET)	p value
Focal areas of hypoechogenicity	Before
	Positive	15	100	15	100	-	-
	Negative	0	0.0	0	0.0
	2 w
	Positive	11	73.3	15	100	2.60	0.10
	Negative	4	26.7	0	0.0
	4 w
	Positive	2	13.3	7	46.7	2.54	0.11
	Negative	13	86.7	8	53.3
	8 w
	Positive	2	13.3	2	13.3	0.0	1.0
	Negative	13	86.7	13	86.7
	12 w
	Positive	2	13.3	1	6.7	0.0	1.0
	Negative	13	86.7	14	93.3
Tendon thickening	Before
	Positive	10	66.7	13	86.7	0.75	0.39
	Negative	5	33.3	2	13.3
	2 w
	Positive	6	40.0	13	86.7	5.17	0.021*
	Negative	9	60.0	2	13.3
	4 w
	Positive	1	6.7	9	60.0	X² = 9.6	0.002**
	Negative	14	93.3	6	40.0
	8 w
	Positive	1	6.7	3	20.0	0.29	0.60
	Negative	14	93.3	12	80.0
	12 w
	Positive	1	6.7	0	0.0	0.0	1.0
	Negative	14	93.3	15	100
Disturbed fibrillar pattern	Before
	Positive	15	100	15	100	-	-
	Negative	0	0.0	0	0.0
	2 w
	Positive	13	86.7	14	93.3	FET = 0.0	1.0
	Negative	2	13.3	1	6.7
	4 w
	Positive	4	26.7	8	53.3	X² = 2.22	0.14
	Negative	11	73.3	7	46.7
	8 w
	Positive	5	33.3	3	20.0	FET = 0.17	0.68
	Negative	10	66.7	12	80.0
	12 w
	Positive	2	13.3	0	0.0	FET = 0.54	0.483
	Negative	13	86.7	15	100
Intra-tendon calcification and/or bone spurs	Before
	Positive	4	26.7	2	13.3	FET = 0.21	0.651
	Negative	11	73.3	13	86.7
	2 w
	Positive	4	26.7	2	13.3	FET = 0.21	0.651
	Negative	11	73.3	13	86.7
	4 w
	Positive	4	26.7	2	13.3	FET = 0.21	0.651
	Negative	11	73.3	13	86.7
	8 w
	Positive	4	26.7	1	6.7	FET = 0.96	0.33
	Negative	11	73.3	14	93.3
	12 w
	Positive	4	26.7	0	0.0	FET = 2.60	0.10
	Negative	11	73.3	15	100
Power Doppler signal	Before
	Positive	2	13.3	3	20.0	FET = 0.0	1.0
	Negative	13	86.7	12	80.0
	2 w
	Positive	2	13.3	2	13.3	FET = 0.0	1.0
	Negative	13	86.7	13	86.7
	4 w
	Positive	2	13.3	1	6.7	FET = 0.0	1.0
	Negative	13	86.7	14	93.3
	8 w					-	-
	Positive	0	0.0	0	0.0
	Negative	15	100	15	100
	12 w					-	-
	Positive	0	0.0	0	0.0
	Negative	15	100	15	100

CS, corticosteroid; ESWT, extracorporeal shock wave therapy; w, week; No., number