The management of hemiplegic shoulder pain in stroke subjects undergoing pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the suprascapular and axillary nerves: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND

Our trial aims to provide evidence for pain management and rehabilitation in patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP). HSP is one of the most common pains and disabilities occurring after a stroke. With accumulating evidence, the management of the suprascapular nerve (SSN) or axillary nerve (AN) might effectively relieve the pain and disability associated with HSP. However, no study has compared the effects of pulsed radiofrequency and nerve block of SSN and AN.

METHODS

Twenty patients with chronic stroke (over one year from onset) and HSP [visual analog scale (VAS) for pain ≥30 mm] randomly underwent ultrasound-guided SSN and AN pulsed radiofrequency or nerve block treatment. All patients were evaluated before treatment (T0) and at 4 (T1) and 16 (T2) weeks of follow-up. The primary outcome was the VAS score. Secondary outcomes were the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score, passive shoulder range of motion (PROM), Disability Assessment Scale (DAS) score, and EuroQol-5 dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D).

RESULTS

Significant improvements in the VAS score were observed in both groups at T1 and T2. However, a significant difference was not observed between the two groups (T1: P=0.43; T2: P=0.23). No statistically significant differences were observed in the MAS score between the two groups at T1 (P=0.06) and T2 (P=0.07). In the PROM of shoulder abduction and external rotation, statistically, significant differences were observed between the two groups at T1 (P=0.02*, & P=0.04*) and T2 (P=0.02*, & P=0.00*). Statistically significant differences in shoulder flexion and extension were not observed between the two groups at T1 (P=0.23, & P=0.35) and T2 (P=0.14, & P=0.14). Statistically significant differences in the DAS score were not observed between the 2 groups at T1 (P=0.51, & P=0.33, & P=0.36, & P=0.75) and T2 (P=0.12, & P=0.54, & P=0.41, & P=0.86). No statistically significant differences in the EQ-5D responses were observed between the two groups at T1 (P=0.42) and T2 (P=0.11).

CONCLUSIONS

Pulsed radiofrequency of SSN and AN achieves similar therapeutic effects to the nerve block. Pulsed radiofrequency modulation is superior to nerve block in improving the PROM of shoulder abduction and external rotation.