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HomeAutoimmuneArthritisFor Knee Condition, Supplement Shows “Comparable Efficacy” to Drug

For Knee Condition, Supplement Shows “Comparable Efficacy” to Drug

Dietary supplementation of glucosamine with chondroitin sulfate may reduce pain, stiffness, and functional limitations, among people suffering from knee osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis is a painful condition that often compromises functional independence.  Marc C. Hochberg, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and colleagues  completed a study to assess the effectiveness of a dietary supplement of glucosamine with chondroitin sulfate, as compared to a widely anti-inflammatory drug commonly prescribed for the condition (celecoxib). The Multicentre Osteoarthritis interVEntion trial with SYSADOA (MOVES) study enrolled 606 men and women with knee osteoarthritis and experiencing moderate-to-severe pain.  Subjects were randomized to receive for six months, either 400 mg chondroitin sulfate + 500 mg glucosamine huydrochloride, 3 times a day; or 200 mg celecoxib daily.  Assessing subjects using a standardized osteoarthritis scale, the glucosamine-chondrotin supplement was found to have comparable efficacy to the prescription on pain (50% reduction in both groups), stiffness (46.9% reduction via supplement vs. 49.2 with drug), and function (45.5% via supplement vs. 46.6% with drug).   The study authors write that: “[chondroitin sulfate with glucosamine] has comparable efficacy to celecoxib in reducing pain, stiffness, functional limitation and joint swelling/effusion after 6 months in patients with painful knee osteoarthritis, with a good safety profile. “

Marc C Hochberg, Johanne Martel-Pelletier, Jordi Monfort, Ingrid Moller, Juan Ramon Castillo, et al, on behalf of the MOVES Investigation Group.  “Extended report: Combined chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine for painful knee osteoarthritis: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, non-inferiority trial versus celecoxib.”  Ann Rheum Dis., 14 January 2015.

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