FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BAD OUTCOME IN CONSERVATIVE THERAPY OF LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS

Abstract

Objectives: Lateral epicondylitis is an overuse syndrome that is one of the most common causes of elbow pain. The aim of this study is to determine the factors associated with bad outcome in conservative treatment of lateral epicondylitis in our population. Methods: Patients who applied to our outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis between August 2020 and August 2021; analyzed retrospectively. 52 patients who were treated conservatively and followed up for at least 12 months were included in the study. Elbow functionality and pain were evaluated with the “Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation” (PRTEE) scoring. Occupation of the patients, antidepressant usage, body mass index(BMI), age and smoking were questioned. Results: 7 (13.4%) patients stated that they fully benefited from conservative treatment. 29 patients (55.8%) expressed that they benefited from the treatment, but their complaints continued at low severity. 16 patients (30.8%) said that they did not benefit from the applied conservative treatment. While the mean PRTEE value was 46.57 in women, it was 32.34 in men. It was observed that female gender negatively affected clinical scores (p=0.004). Mean PRTEE score was 48.31 in physically active manual workers and 31.61 in desk workers (p=0.006). While the mean PRTEE value was 52.81 in patients using antidepressants, this value was 35.6 in patients not using antidepressants (p=0.037). No correlation was found between BMI and PRTEE scores by using Spearman correlation test. Conclusions: Female gender, being a manual worker and using antidepressant medication are associated with poor outcomes in the conservative treatment of lateral epicondylitis.