Nerve Block of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joints PIPs in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Patients: a Prospective Pilot Study
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2020-01-25
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Researchers will include 83 rheumatoid arthritis patients (either early or established)
diagnosed after 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria with bilateral hand arthritis aged 18 or above. Nerve
block to the neural bundle of the 2nd and 3rd PIPs will be done to one hand (the dominant in
half of the participants and the non-dominant in the remaining). The other hand will be used
as a control and injected subcutaneously with saline. Half ml of Bupivacaine will be injected
through a 27G needle at the level of the volar proximal digital crease of the 2nd and 3rd
PIP. The needle will be directed alternatively toward the two pedicles on both sides.
PIPs of the 2nd and 3rd fingers in both hands will be examined EULAR-OMERACT scoring system
at 0, 2 weeks, and 2 months intervals. Visual analog scale (VAS) for each hand will be used
at the same intervals. There are no certain conditions for medications and all the patients
were using sDMARDS.