Effects of Transdermal Application of Steroids in Radiculitis

Iontophoresis is used as a means of delivering drugs across the skin for the management of a variety of medical conditions, most often, for localized inflammation and pain. There are many previous studies indicating that this mode of drug delivery can be useful, and iontophoresis with dexamethasone phosphate (DEX-P), sodium diclofenac, and acetic acid appears to be effective in treating inflammations in several areas of the body. The objectives of such research explorations were to see if local iontophoretic administration of an antiinflammatory drug to patients with tendonitis at the shoulder joint would achieve results similar to those obtained by local injection of the drug. Results were positive for iontophoretic delivery. Transdermal application of the steroids (iontophoresis) in addition to medical and physical therapy treatment was done in 36 patients with cervical & lumbar radiculitis. The protocol was followed for 1 week with outcome measures of VAS score, Dallas Pain Questionnaire score, Neck Pain & Disability Index score, and Modified Oswestry Disability Index score. The mean, standard deviations were calculated for all variables. Further Willcoxon Signed Rank Test was used within the group and Kruskalwallis Test & Jonkheere-Terpstra were applied between the groups to find the most effective one. On analysis test results were found significant within the group and between all the three groups. It was concluded that on comparison between the groups, the third group in which iontophoresis was used along with medication and other physical therapy modalities showed the best results.