Objectives: 

OBJETIVES: To evaluate the effects of treatment with topical nitroglycerin in tendinopathy of the rotator cuff (TRC) and compare it with physical therapy and corticosteroid injections. Secondary effects to the treatment have been evaluated.

Materials: 

MATERIAL AND METHODS: After the inclusion-exclusion criteria, 24 patients (mean age 58±9 years) are randomly divided into three groups. Group A (n=7) was treated with physical therapy exercises, group B (n=7) with injections of corticosteroids (betamethasone and lidocaine 2%) and group C (n=10) with nitroglycerin patches (¼ patch (1.25 mg/24 h). Parameters evaluated have been: pain (by using the visual analog scale (VAS), functionality (using the Constant test) and the shoulder joint balance (using a goniometer) and hyperechoic or inflammatory image (by ultrasound). The medical history will evaluate the secondary effects from treatment. Treatment has two months of duration, and the evaluation of the parameters is performed before and after each treatment.

Results: 

Patients in group C exhibit an improvement daytime and night pain significantly greater than patients in groups A and B: The improvement of VAS in daytime pain in group C was 5.1±1.7 vs to 3.1±1.1 and 3.1±1.6 in groups A and B respectively (p<0.05). The improvement of VAS at night pain in group C was 4.3±1.9 vs 3.1±0.9 and 2.57±1.1 in groups A and B respectively. The improvement of the functionality of the shoulder in the group C is statistically significant with respect to the other groups: 18.7±10.8 in group C compared to 12.4±8.3 and 10.7±6.8 to groups A and B respectively. The 70% of patients in group C present an improvement of hyperechoic images versus 28% in the other two groups.

Conclusions: 

TRC treatment with nitroglycerin patches decreased daytime and night pain and improves shoulder function. This improvement is accompanied by a reduction of hyperechoic ultrasound images. There are no differences in improvement in the joint balance with treatment.