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. 2009 Nov;37(11):2228-33.
doi: 10.1177/0363546509337993. Epub 2009 Sep 24.

Abuse of growth hormone increases the risk of persistent de Quervain tenosynovitis

Thomas Pagonis  1 , Konstantinos Ditsios, Panagiotis Givissis, Athanasios Pagonis, Anastasios Christodoulou
Affiliations

Abuse of growth hormone increases the risk of persistent de Quervain tenosynovitis

Thomas Pagonis et al. Am J Sports Med. 2009 Nov.

Abstract

Background: de Quervain tenosynovitis usually responds well to nonsurgical treatment.

Hypothesis: Growth hormone abuse is associated with increased de Quervain tenosynovitis incidence in weight-training persons.

Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: We treated 19 weight-training male patients with de Quervain tenosynovitis. Nine were abusing growth hormone (group A), and 10 were not (group B). Four group A patients elected to cease growth hormone abuse. Treatment was stratified into 3 grades: (1) splinting and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, (2) same as first grade but with the addition of cortisone injections, and (3) surgical decompression (after failure of treatment of first and second grades). Follow-up was at 3, 9, and 24 months.

Results: First follow-up: Only 33.3% of those using growth hormone in group A responded to splinting and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, compared with 90% in group B. Six patients (66.6%) in group A experienced persistent symptoms and received second-grade treatment, compared with 1 patient in group B (10%). Second follow-up: Four patients (44.4%) in group A moved from second- to third-grade treatment, 1 symptom-free patient (11.1%) relapsed and received second-grade treatment while 2 (22.2%) requested conservative treatment, declining surgery. Group B patients were 100% symptom-free. Final follow-up: Six patients (66.6%) in group A were operated on and 1 (11.1%) suffered from persistent de Quervain tenosynovitis, declining surgery. In group B, 1 patient relapsed and was started on second-grade treatment. No patients in group B had surgery.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that growth hormone abuse is associated with a more recalcitrant form of de Quervain tenosynovitis that does not respond well to nonsurgical treatment, thus leading to increased likelihood of surgical decompression.

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