Painful and painless shoulder Magnetic Resonance Imaging comparisons in hemodialysis patients and correlation with clinical findings

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is frequently observed in haemodialysis patients. OBJECTIVE: To compare haemodialysis patients with or without shoulder pain in terms of shoulder motion ranges, ß2 microglobulin levels and magnetic resonance imaging findings. METHODS: Forty-three patients undergoing dialysis were enrolled, of which 23 patients had explicit shoulder pain at night, which appeared during dialysis. Range of joint motion was evaluated. ß2 microglobulin value was recorded. MRI was used to evaluate rotator cuff tendons for thickness, homogeneity, integrity and presence of effusion. RESULTS: Ranges of motion were significantly lower in the painful shoulder group. Supraspinatus tendon thickness and the number of areas with effusion were higher in the painful group. There was a positive correlation between the ß2 microglobulin level and supraspinatus (r:0.352 p <0.05) and subscapular (r:0.454 p <0.05) tendon thicknesses. While effusion areas and pain (r:0.351 p < 0.05) showed positive correlation, there was a negative correlation between pain and shoulder motion ranges. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder pain in dialysis patients can be related with tendon thickness and effusion.While the ß2 microglobulin level affects tendon thickness, it has no relation to pain and movement constraint. © 2017 - IOS Press and the authors.