Retrospective cohort study on the effects of corticosteroid combined with focused ultrasound therapy on lesion size and inflammatory markers in patients with granulomatous mastitis

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid therapy combined with low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) in treating granulomatous mastitis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 284 patients diagnosed with granulomatous mastitis at The Fourth Hospital of Shijiazhuang from July 2021 to October 2024. Patients were grouped into the Combination Therapy (CT) group (n = 126) and the Single Treatment (ST) group (n = 158), receiving corticosteroids only. The primary outcomes measured were lesion size, inflammatory markers (IL-6, CRP, TNF-?), and patient-reported pain levels. Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups. The CT group showed significantly higher overall effectiveness, with a recovery rate of 70.63% compared to 62.03% in the ST group (P = 0.005). Time to symptom resolution, including pain disappearance and lesion size reduction, was significantly shorter in the CT group (P < 0.05). Post-treatment, the CT group demonstrated a significant reduction in serum IL-6, CRP, and TNF-? levels compared to the ST group (P < 0.05 for all markers). Corticosteroids combined with LIFU therapy significantly improve clinical outcomes in patients with granulomatous mastitis, reducing lesion size, inflammatory markers, and symptom duration more effectively than corticosteroids alone.