Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis Are at Risk of Developing Adhesive Capsulitis: Real-World Evidence Database Study in Taiwan

A new perspective of frozen shoulder pathology; the interplay between the brain and the immune system

Frozen shoulder (FS), also known as adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (FS), is a fibrotic inflammatory process of unknown etiology whose main symptoms are pain, stiffness and the loss of joint mobility. These symptoms may be associated with pathologies such as diabetes, Dupuytren's syndrome and the prevalence of today's sedentary lifestyle. This literature review provides an overview of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this pathology, as well as the mechanisms of lowgrade chronic inflammation and infection, insulin resistance, and omics-science associated with it. We also propose a new hypothesis related to the possibility that the GABAergic system could play a decisive role in the development of frozen shoulder and that therefore diabetes type 1, endocrinological autoimmune disorders and frozen shoulder are connected by the same pathophysiological mechanisms. If that is true, the combined presence of psycho-emotional stress factors and pathogenic immune challenges could be the main causes of frozen shoulder syndrome. Finally, we propose a series of possible intervention strategies based on a multifactorial etiological and mechanistic concept.

An Updated Overview of Risk Factors for Shoulder Stiffness

A painful reduction in shoulder mobility, known as "shoulder stiffness", can occur both as a primary idiopathic condition and as a secondary condition, for example, following surgical procedures. Various factors can contribute to the development of primary shoulder stiffness. In this review we summarize the pathophysiological mechanisms, genetic influences, endocrine disorders, metabolic conditions, as well as other diseases and medical-therapeutic approaches that might have an impact on the development of primary shoulder stiffness.

Predictive Factors of Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections With Ultrasound-Guided Posterior Capsule Approach for Patients With Primary Adhesive Capsulitis

BACKGROUND

Adhesive capsulitis affects the shoulder joint, causing pain and limiting motion. In clinical practice, the effectiveness of injections varies, and the factors influencing their success remain unclear. This study investigates the predictors of effective corticosteroid injections in patients with primary adhesive capsulitis.

DESIGN

This retrospective study enrolled adhesive capsulitis patients older than 35 yrs who received intra-articular corticosteroid injections. The response was determined based on patients' pain and range of motion 3 mos after the injection. Demographic data, medical comorbidities, and radiographic parameters (critical shoulder angle and acromial index) were compared between the effective and noneffective groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression were used to identify the predictors of injection effectiveness.

RESULTS

This study included 325 patients with primary adhesive capsulitis, who were divided into responder (189 patients, 58.2%) and nonresponder (136 patients, 41.8%) groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that the acromial index score indicated favorable discrimination for predicting a poor response to injections, whereas the critical shoulder angle score did not. Logistic regression revealed that the pain period, diabetes mellitus, and acromial index are predictors of nonresponders to injections.

CONCLUSIONS

Long pain duration, the presence of diabetes mellitus, and an acromial index score greater than 0.711 were predictors of nonresponse to corticosteroid injections for primary adhesive capsulitis patients.