• Yosef Uziel, Matitiahu Berkovitch, Madlen Gazarian, Gideon Koren, Earl D Silverman, Rayfel Schneider, and Ronald M Laxer.
• Divisions of Rheumatology and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• J Rheumatol. 2003 Mar 1;30(3):594-6.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of eutectic lidocaine/prilocaine cream (EMLA) in reducing the pain associated with steroid joint injection in children with juvenile arthritis.MethodsA randomized, double blind, placebo controlled parallel group trial. Thirty-one children (ages 8-18 yrs) scheduled for steroid injection into a knee were randomized into groups having either 2.5 g lidocaine/prilocaine cream or placebo cream applied to the injection site 60-90 min before the procedure. Patients assessed the pain associated with initial needle insertion and subsequent steroid injection using a 10 cm visual analog scale.ResultsNo significant difference was found in the pain reported after needle insertion or steroid injection between the lidocaine/prilocaine cream group (n = 17) and the placebo group (n = 14). There was a trend toward an association of lower median scores with the pain of steroid injection in the lidocaine/prilocaine group (6 mm) compared with the placebo group (22 mm).ConclusionApplication of 2.5 g lidocaine/prilocaine cream for 60-90 min had no statistically significant analgesic effect on pain associated with injections of steroids into the knees of children with juvenile arthritis.

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