Local treatment of tendinopathies: a comparison between tropisetron and depot corticosteroids combined with local anesthetics

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether local injection of the 5-HT3-receptor antagonist, tropisetron. reduces pain in tendinopathies to the same degree as a local injection of corticosteroids in combination with local anesthetic. METHODS: Forty patients with tendinopathies were enrolled in this randomized, observer-blind study. An injection of either 5 mg tropisetron. or 10 mg dexamethasone combined with 60 mg lidocaine was administered around the affected tendon. The effect was measured with a visual analog pain scale before the injection, after 3 hours and on each of the following 7 days, in patients with good effects also 3 months after the injection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the tropisetron and the corticosteroid/anesthetic group in terms of pain at rest or on movement during the study. Both treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Local injection of tropisetron seems to be as safe and as effective as the combination of corticosteroids and local anesthetics in the treatment of painful tendinopathies.