Steroid Arthropathy: Myth or Reality? A Review of the Evidence

Abstract

Steroid arthropathy is a well known and much feared potential complication of corticosteroid therapy. This review paper shows that the risk of this condition developing is well established for steroids taken orally but only usually in the presence of associated underlying disease. The case against injected steroids is much less conclusive although certain categories of patients who are especially at risk can be identified. Any joint can be involved in the process although the hip and shoulder are the most commonly affected. Considerable evidence exists that in many cases injected corticosteroid can be chondro-protective rather than destructive.