Intra-articular glucocorticoids are strongly recommended for OA of which joints?

Intra-articular glucocorticoids are strongly recommended for OA of which joints?

• A. Hand
• B. Knee and hip
• C. Elbow
• D. Shoulder

Answer: (B)

Intra-articular glucocorticoids are used for quick, short-term relief of joint inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis, with the strongest support in larger, weight-bearing joints. The knee shows the most robust evidence: injections often produce meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in function that can last weeks to a couple of months. The hip also has good evidence supporting short-term symptom relief from these injections, so they’re commonly recommended for hip OA when a rapid boost in comfort is needed and injections are clinically appropriate. Smaller joints like those in the hand or elbow, and to some extent the shoulder, have less consistent or weaker evidence for strong, routine recommendations of intra-articular steroids. Therefore, the knee and hip are the joints most strongly favored for this treatment approach.

Intra-articular glucocorticoids are used for quick, short-term relief of joint inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis, with the strongest support in larger, weight-bearing joints. The knee shows the most robust evidence: injections often produce meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in function that can last weeks to a couple of months. The hip also has good evidence supporting short-term symptom relief from these injections, so they’re commonly recommended for hip OA when a rapid boost in comfort is needed and injections are clinically appropriate.

Smaller joints like those in the hand or elbow, and to some extent the shoulder, have less consistent or weaker evidence for strong, routine recommendations of intra-articular steroids. Therefore, the knee and hip are the joints most strongly favored for this treatment approach.