Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Fig 1.
A, CT-guided transforaminal corticosteroid injection. The needle is positioned in the posterolateral aspect of the foramen with contrast media flowing in the foramen. B, CT-guided intra-articular facet corticosteroids injection. The needle is positioned in the facet joint. Contrast media injection confirms an intracapsular distribution.
- Fig 2.
Flow diagram of the progress of subjects through the phases of the study.
- Fig 3.
Relative Visual Analog Scale pain score differences between intra-articular facet and transforaminal corticosteroid injections, according to the VAS baseline value with adjustments for age, sex, and employment status. The intention-to-treat (A) and as-treated (B) analyses are presented. Error bars indicate 2-sided 95% CIs. Squares indicate mean differences. The dotted vertical line marks the 15% margin of noninferiority. LCL indicates lower confidence limit; UCL, upper confidence limit.
- Fig 4.
Medication Quantitative Scale scores with time adjusted for age, sex, and employment status, for the intra-articular facet and transforaminal corticosteroid injections groups. The intention-to-treat (A) and as-treated (B) analyses are presented. Error bars indicate 2-sided 95% CIs.
Tables
- Table 1:
Baseline characteristics of subjects (per randomization) treated with either transforaminal or intra-articular facet corticosteroid injections
Variables Groups P Value IFSI TFSI Subjects (No.) 28 28 Sex (No.) (%) .059 Male 8 (29) 15 (54) Female 20 (71) 13 (46) Age (yr) (mean) (range) 44 ± 8.3 (26–60) 52 ± 11.1 (29–72) .007 Duration of pain (mo) (mean) (range) 14 ± 20 (1–84) 17 ± 21 (1–84) .649 Imaging findings (No.) (%) .357 Disk herniation 12 (43) 7 (25) Spondylosis 14 (50) 20 (71) Spondylosis/disk herniation 2 (7) 1 (4) Level of injection (No.) (%) .566 C3–C4 1 (4) 0 (0) C4–C5 1 (4) 3 (11) C5–C6 16 (57) 15 (53) C6–C7 10 (35) 10 (36) Side of injection (No.) (%) .284 Right 13 (46) 17 (61) Left 15 (54) 11 (39) VAS (0–100) (mean) (range) 61 ± 17 (23–95) 63 ± 18 (17–85) .691 NDI (0–50) (mean) (range) 21 ± 8 (10–44) 19 ± 7 (5–30) .301 Employment status (No.) (%) .030 Working 12 (42.9) 16 (57.1) Retired 1 (3.6) 4 (14.3) Not working 15 (53.5) 8 (28.6) On sick leave with insurance 10 (35.71) 4 (14.29) On sick leave without insurance 0 (0.00) 2 (7.14) Workers' compensation 4 (14.29) 0 (0.00) On welfare 1 (3.57) 2 (7.14) - Table 2:
Pain severity and Neck Disability Index scores for intra-articular facet and transforaminal corticosteroid injections
Variable Groups IFSI TFSI Subjects (No.) It 28 28 At 29 27 VAS% (mean) (95% CI) It 45.3 (21.4–69.2) 9.8 (+11.5–31.2) At 37.0 (9.2–64.7) 17.8 (+6.6–42.2) NDI% (mean) (95% CI) It 24.3 (+2.9–51.5) 9.6 (+15.2–34.4) At 20.7 (+6.2–47.6) 12.8 (+11.2–36.7) Note:—VAS% indicates the relative difference between postintervention and baseline VAS pain scores; NDI%, the relative difference between postintervention and baseline Neck Disability Index scores; It, intention-to-treat analysis; At, as-treated analysis.
- Table 3:
Pain severity subgroup analysis of the etiologic imaging findings for intra-articular facet and transforaminal corticosteroid injections
Variable Subgroups Disk Herniation ± Spondylosis Spondylosis IFSI TFSI IFSI TFSI Subjects (No.) It 14 8 14 20 At 13 9 16 18 VAS% (mean) (95% CI) It 65.0 (31.2–98.9) 8.0 (+20.2–36.2) 30.1 (0.4–59.7) +1.6 (+33.7–30.4) At 46.5 (9.4–83.6) 22.7 (+6.6–51.9) 23.6 (+6.7–53.9) 5.6 (+27.1–38.2) Note:—VAS% indicates the relative difference between postintervention and baseline VAS pain scores; It, intention-to-treat analysis; At, as-treated analysis.
- Table 4:
Pain severity scores for intra-articular facet and transforaminal corticosteroid injections according to the baseline score
Variable and Baseline VAS Pain Score (0–100) Groups IFSI TFSI Subjects (No.) It 28 28 At 29 27 VAS% (mean) (95% CI) 20 It 53.3 (4.0–102.7) +83.4 (+132.8 to +34.0) At 41.6 (17.1–100.3) +70.6 (+128.5 to +12.7) 40 It 49.5 (16.7–82.4) +39.4 (+72.1 to +6.6) At 39.4 (0.6–78.2) +28.9 (+66.9–9.2) 60 It 45.8 (21.8–69.8) 4.6 (+17.2–26.5) At 37.2 (9.4–65.0) 12.9 (+12.0–37.8) 80 It 42.0 (11.6–72.4) 48.7 (23.3–74.0) At 35.0 (+0.3–70.4) 54.6 (25.2–84.0) 95 It 39.1 (2.7–80.9) 81.7 (46.0–117.3) At 33.4 (15.6–82.3) 86.0 (44.1–127.8) Note:—VAS% indicates the relative difference between postintervention and baseline VAS pain scores; It, intention-to-treat analysis; At, as-treated analysis.
