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The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 16:209-212 (2003)
© 2003 American Board of Family Practice

Physician Prescribing Patterns of Oral Corticosteroids for Musculoskeletal Injuries

Kimberly G. Harmon, MD and Chris Hawley, MD

Department of Family Medicine (KGH), and the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine (KGH), Hall Health Sports Medicine Clinic, University of Washington, Seattle
Sports Medicine Clinic (CH) University of Texas at Austin

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Kimberly G. Harmon, MD, 4110 NE 142nd St, Seattle, WA 98125

Background: There is considerable controversy as to when and if oral corticosteroids are indicated for musculoskeletal injury. Although the perception is that sports medicine physicians prescribe oral corticosteroids frequently, there is no documentation of this behavior in the literature. The purpose of this study was to obtain a description of the corticosteroid-prescribing patterns of primary care sports medicine physicians and look for common indications.

Methods: A two-page questionnaire was included in the registration packets of 195 physicians at a national sports medicine conference.

Results: Ninety-nine questionnaires were returned. Fifty-eight (58.6%) of the physicians reported prescribing oral corticosteroids for musculoskeletal injuries. Physicians who prescribed corticosteroids for injuries averaged 6.6 prescriptions per month. Prednisone was the corticosteroid prescribed by 82% of physicians. The average prescription length was 7 days. One half of the physicians (51.7%) tapered the dose. The most common starting dose (mode) was 60 mg.

Conclusions: Despite little evidence to support their use, primary care sports medicine physicians commonly prescribe corticosteroids.






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Copyright © 2003 by the American Board of Family Medicine.