RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

doi:10.1136/bmjusa.01100004

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.01100004, (Published 13 September 2002)

Letters

RAPID RESPONSES FROM BMJ.COM

Corticosteroid injections work!

Sepsis after injections

Corticosteroid injections work!

This article originally appeared in BMJ USA

EDITOR $---$ Once again I read an article about a treatment I use commonly, which gives an equivocal opinion about its effectiveness.Despite the conclusion that there are insufficient data on whichto base a recommendation to give shoulder corticosteroid injections,I continue to find them invaluable. It is easy for researchersto take away what many GPs find as effective treatment and leaveus to pick up the pieces $---$ shoulder pains that do not respond tophysiotherapy, persons with contraindications to nonsteroidaltherapy, and working patients who do not have time for physiotherapy.How are we to deal with these patients knowing that we have helpedhundreds of others in the past with a treatment that has "no goodevidence"?

Graeme Mackenzie, general practitioner.
Maryport, Cumbria, UK graeme.mackenzie{at}GP-A82032.nhs.uk

Sepsis after injections

EDITOR $---$ The statement that sepsis is reported in up to 1 in 17 joint or soft tissue injections is presumably a misprint. Theusual figure is 1 in 17 000.¹

Steve Longworth, GP Principal.
The East Leicester Medical Practice, Leicester, UK Longworth_S{at}gp-C82063.nhs.uk