How should clinicians integrate the findings of The Lancet’s 2018 placebo-controlled subacromial decompression trial into clinical practice?

Littlewood, Chris; Bury, Julie; O'Shea, Aidan; McCreesh, Karen; O'Sullivan, Kieran

Abstract

The musculoskeletal and orthopaedic world has been challenged by a recent randomised controlled trial that compared surgical (arthroscopic) subacromial decompression (SAD) with placebo surgery or monitoring only for patients with ‘subacromial’ shoulder pain who had not responded to conservative care.1 At 6 and 12 months, both surgical groups reported better outcomes than monitoring only, but the difference was not clinically significant.

What now? What should we offer patients who have not responded sufficiently to non-surgical approaches? Here are some reflections on the implications of this game-changing trial.

Citation

Littlewood, C., Bury, J., O'Shea, A., McCreesh, K., & O'Sullivan, K. (2018). How should clinicians integrate the findings of The Lancet’s 2018 placebo-controlled subacromial decompression trial into clinical practice?. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(14), 883-884. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098900

• Journal Article Type: Editorial
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Deposit Date: Dec 18, 2024
• Journal: British journal of sports medicine
• Print ISSN: 0306-3674
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 14
• Pages: 883-884
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098900