Feasibility of ultrasound-guided sacroiliac joint puncture in the treatment of inflammatory and osteoarthritis pain: a 11-years single-centre experience
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Sacroiliac joint inflammation is a key manifestation of spondyloarthritis; however, most sacroiliac pain arises from mechanical overload, which also involves an inflammatory component. Ultrasound-guided sacroiliac joint puncture (SJP) for local corticosteroid injection is a semi-invasive procedure infrequently performed in rheumatology clinics, despite previous reports describing its feasibility and relative simplicity. Objective To describe the clinical outcomes and safety of ultrasound-guided sacroiliac joint puncture (SJP) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) or spondyloarthritis (SpA), and to identify independent predictors of clinical improvement. Methods We conducted a retrospective study including 130 patients who underwent 155 ultrasound-guided SJP procedures. Demographic variables were analysed per patient, whereas clinical outcomes were analysed per procedure. Improvement, no change/no report and worsening were obtained from follow-up clinical records. A complementary patient-level analysis restricted to the first procedure per patient was performed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate independent predictors of improvement. Results The mean age of the cohort was 48.7 years. Clinical improvement was observed in 130 procedures (83.9%), 23 (14.8%) showed no change or no report, and 2 (1.3%) were associated with worsening. Improvement rates differed significantly between diagnostic groups: 75.6% in OA and 92.2% in SpA ( p < 0.01). In the multivariable model, diagnosis was the only independent predictor of improvement, with SpA showing higher odds of response compared with OA (adjusted OR 4.22, 95% CI 1.22–14.58, p = 0.023). Obesity, fibromyalgia, age and sex were not independently associated with outcome. The patient-level analysis yielded similar results. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided SJP is a safe procedure associated with high rates of clinical improvement. Patients with SpA show significantly greater benefit than those with OA, and this association remains robust after multivariable adjustment. Underlying inflammatory disease appears to be a key determinant of therapeutic response.
Source: Frontiers in Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7223179819