Corticosteroid versus saline injections for thumb osteoarthritis
Official title: Comparison of the Efficacy of Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injections Versus Saline Solution for Thumb Osteoarthritis: Double-Blind Pragmatic Randomized Pilot Study
Run by Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières · NCT06401317 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether saline injections work better than corticosteroid (triamcinolone) injections to reduce pain and improve hand function in adults with thumb (trapeziometacarpal) osteoarthritis.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Montreal, Quebec and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 4, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | August 18, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06401317 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (≥18) with X-ray‑confirmed trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis who have pain at the base of the thumb, for whom the treating physician would consider an intra‑articular corticosteroid injection, and who can read English or French.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with traumatic thumb pain, inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis), prior corticosteroid injections within 12 months, prior surgery on the affected thumb, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or known allergy to any injection components are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a pragmatic, double-blind, randomized pilot trial that will enroll 40 adults with X-ray–confirmed trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis to compare intra‑articular triamcinolone versus saline (0.9% NaCl) injections. Participants and the physicians performing injections will be blinded and randomized 1:1, with primary outcomes focused on pain reduction and hand function and secondary measures of feasibility. The pilot follows PRECIS-2 guidance and will collect data on recruitment, retention, and blinding success to inform a larger definitive trial. Study visits are conducted at CHUM sites in Montreal and materials are provided in French and English.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, saline injections could offer a cheaper and potentially safer alternative to corticosteroids for reducing pain and improving hand function in thumb osteoarthritis.
How similar studies have gone: Systematic reviews and prior randomized trials have shown mixed results but indicate that saline injections can sometimes relieve osteoarthritis pain and that corticosteroids do not consistently outperform placebo.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * aged ≥18 years; * diagnosis of TMO was confirmed by X-ray interpreted by a radiologist; * suffering from pain at the base of the thumb; * the attending physician deems that an intra-articular corticosteroid injection would be beneficial, rather than opting for other types of intervention such as surgery * can read, understand and answer in either French or English. Exclusion Criteria: * having received one or more corticosteroid injections in the last 3 months or surgery on the affected thumb; * suffering from painful thumb caused by a trauma (e.g., fracture, sprain), rheumatoid arthritis, or De Quervain's tendonitis; and * being pregnant or breastfeeding; and * known allergies to any components of the solutions (triamcinolone acetonide, benzyl alcohol, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, hydrochloric acid, polysorbate, sodium chloride, or sodium hydroxide) or to iodinated contrast media.
Where it's running
-
Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal - Physiatry
Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recruiting -
Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal - Chirurgie plastique
Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tokiko Hamasaki, PhD — Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
- Study coordinator: Tokiko Hamasaki, PhD
- Email: tokiko.hamasaki@uqtr.ca
- Phone: 819-478-5011
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
ICF-based biopsychosocial hand OA assessment with AI profile prediction
This observational study tests a biopsychosocial assessment for people with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis and uses AI to help predict patient profiles.
-
Thumb position sense in base-of-thumb (trapeziometacarpal) osteoarthritis
It tests whether people with base-of-thumb (trapeziometacarpal) osteoarthritis sense their thumb's position and movement differently than people without the condition.
-
Thumb Base Joint OA: Using a treated umbilical cord membrane as an interposed implant
This trial tests whether placing a processed human umbilical cord amniotic membrane inside the trapeziometacarpal joint during surgery can reduce pain and improve thumb motion and strength in people with thumb-base osteoarthritis.
-
Isolated thumb‑base (trapeziometacarpal) joint arthroplasty with double‑mobility for peritrapezial osteoarthritis in 300 patients
This trial will try an isolated double‑mobility thumb‑base joint replacement to see if it improves pain and hand function in adults with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis who need surgery.
-
Treatment of thumb base osteoarthritis using a collagen-based medical device
This study is testing a new collagen-based treatment to see if it can help people with painful thumb arthritis feel better and improve their hand function.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.