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Meralgia paresthetica: Nerve stimulator‐guided injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine, a double‐blind randomized placebo‐controlled study
Author(s) -
Kloosterziel Mark E.,
Tavy Dénes L. J.,
Arends Samuel,
Zijdewind Joyce M.,
Zwet Erik W.,
Wirtz Paul W.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.26877
Subject(s) - medicine , lidocaine , visual analogue scale , placebo , methylprednisolone , anesthesia , mononeuropathy , methylprednisolone acetate , randomized controlled trial , randomization , placebo controlled study , surgery , double blind , peripheral neuropathy , alternative medicine , pathology , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus
Background Meralgia paresthetica is a mononeuropathy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. A common therapy is injection with corticosteroids. The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine vs placebo. Methods After randomization, 10 patients received a nerve stimulator‐guided injection with methylprednisolone/lidocaine, and 10 patients received saline. The primary outcome measure was pain (visual analogue scale, VAS). Results In the placebo group, there was a significant pain reduction (baseline VAS, 6.8; VAS week 12, 4.3; P = .014). The VAS score in the methylprednisolone group did not show a significant reduction (baseline VAS, 7.4; VAS week 12, 4.8; P = .053). There was no significant difference in pain reduction between the groups. Conclusions We found no objective evidence for benefit from nerve stimulator‐guided injection with corticosteroids in meralgia paresthetica, although this study is limited by a small sample size. Future placebo‐controlled studies using ultrasound‐guided injection are warranted.