rehabilitation.cochrane.org The aim of this commentary was to discuss the Cochrane Review "Local corticosteroid injection versus placebo for carpal tunnel syndrome"1 by Ashworth et al., published by Cochrane Neuromuscular Group. This Cochrane Corner is produced in agreement with the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases by Cochrane Rehabilitation with views of the review summary authors in the "implications for practice" section. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy in adults.2 It occurs in 4%–5% of the population.2 It accounts for 90% of all the nerve entrapment syndromes.3 Repeated vibrations, forceful angular motions, genetic predisposition (COL1A1, COL5A1, and COL11A1), female gender, and conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, morbid obesity, and pregnancy are associated with increased risk of developing CTS.3 The normal pressure of carpal tunnel varies between 2 and 10 mm Hg.3 CTS is classically a clinical diagnosis; however, further tests like electrodiagnostic studies and ultrasonography may be done when in doubt, to stage the disease or to rule out other diagnoses.1-5 Treatment of CTS is broadly classified into surgical and nonsurgical.1, 3 Nonsurgical or conservative treatment includes oral analgesics, splints, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and local corticosteroid injection(LCI) with or without ultrasound guidance.1, 3 The role of LCI in CTS is under debate and variability regarding the dose of corticosteroid, techniques for injection, type, and volume of medicine used for injection, efficacy of LCI, and use of image guidance versus blind injection exists in literature.1, 3 (Nigel L Ashworth, Jeremy D P Bland, Kristine M Chapman, Gaetan Tardif, Loai Albarqouni, Arjuna Nagendran, 2023) The aim of this Cochrane Review was to assess the efficacy of LCI in improving symptoms in patients with CTS. The population addressed in this review were adults (18 years and older) diagnosed with CTS preferably by Rempel Criteria.1 Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, cluster-RCTs, and cross-over RCTs were included in this review. LCI in or around the carpal tunnel was studied. Triamcinolone, hydrocortisone, and methylprednisolone in any dose with or without local anesthetic (LA) were used as LCI. Studies where LCI was administered with co-interventions were only included if all the groups received the same co-interventions. LCI was compared with placebo injection, sham injection, or no treatment. The primary outcome measured was improvement in symptoms at up to 3 months of intervention measured by any validated patient-reported outcome measure such as the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ), Global Symptom Score (GSS), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH/QUICKDASH). Secondary outcomes were measured at up to 3 months and greater than 3 months, which included as follows: improvement in function measured by BCTQ, DASH/ QUICKDASH; improvement in neurophysiological parameters measured by change in distal motor latency (DML) or sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) when DML was not available; improvement in imaging parameters measured by change in cross-section area (CSA) of median nerve measured at wrist with ultrasound; requirement of surgery; and improvement in quality of life measured by either EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ-5D), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL), or 12- or 36- item Short Form Health Survey and adverse events related to the intervention. Improvement of symptoms at greater than 3 months was measured by BCTQ, GSS, DASH/QUICKDASH. The review authors searched for studies that had been published up to May 26, 2022. The following resources were searched since the time of its inception: Cochrane Neuromuscular Specialized Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (1946 to 25 May 2022), Embase (1974 to 25 May 2022), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL: 1937 to 25 May 2022), US National Institutes for Health Clinical Trials Registry, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Portal (ICTRP). All the references of primary studies and review articles were also searched. There was no restriction on the inclusion of studies based on language. A total of 890 references were identified out of which 194 studies were studied for eligibility. The review included 14 studies and excluded 179 studies. The authors concluded that LCI resulted in improvement in symptoms and functional scores at up to 3months of follow-up in persons with mild-to-moderate CTS. There may be a decreased need for surgery after LCI in persons with CTS at 1 year of follow-up. High dose of corticosteroid (80 mg equivalent of methylprednisolone) resulted in better improvement in symptoms at greater than 3 months of follow-up only. Serious adverse events after LCI are rare. The Cochrane evidence on the role of steroid injections in CTS has important implications for Rehabilitation Medicine physicians, who commonly encounter CTS both in electrodiagnostic laboratories and clinics. As experts in interventional pain management, Rehabilitation Medicine physicians are well-versed in various injection procedures for pain management, making local corticosteroid injections a valuable addition to their treatment armamentarium. CTS, affecting the hand, is frequently managed by Rehabilitation Medicine physicians, who recognize the importance of effective and safe interventions to alleviate symptoms and enhance patient function. The findings from the review provide evidence supporting the use of local corticosteroid injections as a non-surgical option for individuals with mild to moderate CTS. The finding that high doses of corticosteroids (∼80 mg equivalent of methylprednisolone) showed better long-term improvement in symptoms underscores the relevance of individualized treatment plans in rheumatological practice. Additionally, the potential reduction in the need for surgery at 1 year post-injection further supports the use of this intervention in Rehabilitation Medicine practice. The low rate of serious complications associated with local corticosteroid injections also provides an added level of reassurance regarding the safety of this treatment option. In conclusion, the Cochrane evidence underscores the significance of local corticosteroid injections in the management of CTS by incorporating these injections into their treatment plans and utilizing their expertise in interventional pain management, Rehabilitation Medicine physicians can optimize patient outcomes, effectively alleviate symptoms, and improve the overall well-being of individuals with CTS. MTK: Writing the first draft, Literature review, and final approval of the manuscript. FAR: Conception of the idea, Literature review, Critical Revisions, and final approval of the manuscript. The authors thank Cochrane Rehabilitation and corresponding author of the original Cochrane Review, Dr. Nigel L Ashworth, for reviewing the contents of the Cochrane Corner. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.