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Corticosteroid injections can relieve symptoms of trigger finger (e.g., pain, locking), but the response rate and duration of benefit vary across studies. In this report, Boston orthopedists describe 1-year outcomes of 124 injected trigger digits in 119 patients.
All patients reported relief of symptoms immediately after injections (a steroid–lidocaine mixture). Symptoms recurred in 30% of patients by 6 months and in 55% of patients by 12 months. About a quarter of patients received second injections (after symptoms recurred), and 18% underwent surgical release during the year of follow-up. On multivariate analysis, presence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was the only independent predictor of recurrent symptoms (symptoms recur…