Recruiting

Radiotherapy vs. Corticosteroid

Sponsor:

Mayo Clinic

Code:

NCT07217405

Conditions

Osteoarthritis Hand

Osteoarthritis Wrist

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 50+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Corticosteroid injection (CSI)

Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT)

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this research is to compare low-dose radiotherapy to corticosteroid injection for treatment of hand/wrist osteoarthritis.

Conditions

Osteoarthritis Hand

Osteoarthritis Wrist

Study ID

NCT07217405

Start date

Dec 19, 2025

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

Oct 1, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 50+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
  • Age 50 years or older
  • Mild, moderate, or severe hand OA (Kellgren and Lawrence classification grade 2, 3, or 4) on hand radiographs within the last 24 months
  • Hand OA pain with a minimum VAS score relating to hand pain of ≥40 (on a 100-point scale) when using the affected hand
  • Ability to complete study questionnaires

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of previous surgery to the affected hand(s)
  • Autoimmune joint disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis
  • Active confounding hand condition such as stenosing tenosynovitis or Dupuytren's contracture
  • Recent injury (within last 1 month) to the affected hand causing current pain
  • History of crystalline arthritis (gout or pseudogout) flare in the affected hand(s)
  • Active use of opioid pain medication(s) or oral steroids within the last 3 months
  • Fibromyalgia or central sensitization syndrome
  • Hand CSI or other hand injection within the past 3 months
  • History of hand LDRT within the past 3 months
  • Poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c > 10%)
  • Active infection
  • Current pregnancy

Study Design

Enrollment

165 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT)

Subjects will receive a total of six (6) low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) treatments for hand osteoarthritis.

active comparator: Corticosteroid injection (CSI)

Subjects will receive standard of care corticosteroid injection (CSI) therapy for hand osteoarthritis.

Interventions

Corticosteroid injection (CSI)

A maximum of 3 joints will be treated with standard a standard combination of methylprednisolone and lidocaine:

  • 1st Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint - 20 mg methylprednisolone/0.5 mL 1% lidocaine\*
  • Radiocarpal (RC) joint - 40 mg methylprednisolone/1 mL 1% lidocaine\*
  • Scaphotrapeziotrapezoidal (STT) joint - 20 mg methylprednisolone/0.5 mL 1% lidocaine\*
  • Metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint - 20 mg methylprednisolone/0.5 mL 1% lidocaine
  • Interphalangeal (IP) joint - 10 mg methylprednisolone/0.25 mL 1% lidocaine

Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT)

Subjects will be treated with low-dose radiotherapy of 300cGy in 6 fractions, 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days.

Non-responders to the initial LDRT treatment will receive a second treatment course of 300cGy in 6 fractions to be given 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score [ Time Frame: Baseline, monthly for 6 months post-intervention, 9 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Tochukwu Iyke-Nzeocha

(507) 422-3201Iyke-Nzeocha.Tochukwu@mayo.edu

Melissa Wang, M.A., CCRP

(507) 266-6911wang.melissa@mayo.edu

Locations

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Recruiting

Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905

Contacts

Tochukwu Iyke-Nzeocha

(507) 422-3201iyke-nzeocha.tochukwu@mayo.edu

Melissa Wang, M.A., CCRP

(507) 266-6911wang.melissa@mayo.edu

Principal Investigator:

Terin Sytsma, MD

More Information

Sponsor

Mayo Clinic

Last update posted

Apr 24, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Mayo Clinic on 2026-04-24.