Effectiveness of betamethasone dipropionate versus methylprednisolone acetate intra-articular injection in the management of pain in primary osteoarthritis of the knee.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative condition often viewed as an inevitable aspect of aging. It leads to the progressive deterioration of articular cartilage, resulting in pain and significant limitations in global movement. Intra-articular steroid injections are effective for pain control and functional improvement. This study focuses on Betamethasone Dipropionate and Methylprednisolone Acetate, both of which have shown promising outcomes, evaluated at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of betamethasone dipropionate and methylprednisolone acetate in managing Kellgren Lawrence (KL) stage 2 to 4 primary knee osteoarthritis.

Design: This was a single-blinded comparative study conducted at the Orthopaedic Clinic of a tertiary hospital.

Participants: Patients with osteoarthritis in one or both knees, presenting with a pain score of ≥4 on a 0-10 Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), were included.

Main outcome measure: Effectiveness in controlling pain and improving function.

Results: The average age of participants was 60 years. At two weeks, the P-values for VAS and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores between groups A and B were 0.495 and 0.927, respectively. At four weeks, these values were 0.810 and 0.372. However, by twelve weeks, the P-values for VAS and WOMAC scores were 0.026 and 0.0235, indicating significant differences.

Conclusions: Both steroid injections provided symptom relief; however, Betamethasone Dipropionate demonstrated superior long-term effectiveness compared to Methylprednisolone Acetate, offering better sustained pain relief beyond eight weeks.

Funding: None declared.