Effectiveness of steroid injection on functional outcomes in adults with trigger finger: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Corticosteroid injections are widely used as first-line treatment for trigger finger, but their comparative efficacy against other non-surgical and surgical interventions remains unclear. While previous meta-analyses have explored this topic, many were limited by a narrow scope or methodological constraints. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness and safety of corticosteroid injections in adult trigger finger management compared with alternative treatment modalities, using robust methodology and updated evidence to guide clinical decision-making.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search will be conducted to identify the articles published on PubMed, Embase, Scopus and the Cochrane Library. All randomised controlled trials that compared (1) corticosteroid injection with alternative non-surgical modalities and (2) corticosteroid injection with surgical intervention in adults diagnosed with trigger finger will be included for the review. Two reviewers will independently perform the processes of study inclusion, data extraction and quality assessment. The primary outcome will be assessed by improvement in triggering and pain symptoms. Secondary outcomes will be assessed through safety assessment. The risk of bias and meta-analysis will be conducted using by RevMan V.5.4.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required for this study as it is a review based on published studies. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis results are expected to provide valuable information for clinicians to choose an optimal strategy for the management of trigger finger.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024547312.