Roberts WN, Babcock EA, Breitbach SA et al.
The Journal of Rheumatology,1996;23: 1001-1004

It is suggested that the number of intra-articular injections should be limited for a given joint. However, the authors suggest that by suppressing the inflammation by means of intra-articular corticosteroid injections may adequately slow cartilage degradation in active rheumatoid arthritis. Using a database of 1987 patients with rheumatic diseases, those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had received four or more injections in an asymmetric pattern during a year were reviewed. A cohort of 13 patients was used in a five-year prospective study. The total number of injections received was 1,622. Results showed that joints that were heavily injected did not have increased joint arthroplasty. Injecting joints frequently may provide a degree of chondroprotection when the alternative is continued disease activity.

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