Decreased rotator cuff muscle cross-sectional areas in subjects with adhesive capsulitis: a study comparing male and female subjects

Objective To compare rotator cuff (RC) muscle cross-sectional areas (CSA) in subjects with adhesive capsulitis (AC) to age- and sex-matched controls. Materials and methods We retrospectively analyzed 97 shoulder MRIs or MR arthrography studies, of which 42 were clinically diagnosed with AC (27 female, 15 male) and 55 were age- and sex-matched controls (38 female, 17 male). All AC subjects underwent imaging ≥ 6 months after symptom onset. All imaging was examined to exclude RC full-thickness tears and prior surgery. A standardized T1 sagittal MR image was segmented in each subject to obtain the CSA of subscapularis (SSC), supraspinatus (SSP), and infraspinatus (ISP) muscles. Differences in CSAs between AC and control subjects were analyzed by sex (females and males separately) and all subjects combined. Results AC females had significantly decreased SSC ( P = 0.002) and total ( P = 0.006) CSAs compared to controls. Male AC subjects showed decreased SSC ( P = 0.044), SSP ( P = 0.001), and total ( P = 0.005) CSAs. Across all subjects, male and female, the AC cohort had significantly decreased SSC ( P = 0.019) and total ( P = 0.029) CSAs compared to controls. Conclusion Decreased RC muscle CSAs were present in AC subjects with ≥ 6 months of symptom duration, with decreased SSC and total CSAs in male and female subjects, and decreased SSP CSA in males.