OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucosamine hydrochloride for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

METHODSA multi-central, randomized, controlled clinical trial of glucosamine hydrochloride comparing glucosamine sulfate for the treatment of osteoarthritis was performed. One hundred and forty-three patients suffering from knee or hip osteoarthritis were randomized into study (glucosamine hydrochloride) or control (glucosamine sulfate) group. Patients in study group orally took glucosamine hydrochloride 2 times daily for 6 weeks, each time 1 capsule, and those in control group took glucosamine sulfate 3 times daily for 6 weeks also, each time 2 capsules.

RESULTSThe symptomatic improvement of joint pain at walking, at rest and stiffness after 6 week treatment with glucosamine hydrochloride was better than those with glucosamine sulfate. The results had significant difference (P < 0.05). Total effective rates of patients with glucosamine hydrochloride was 75.4% and 60.6% with glucosamine sulfate, but no statistical difference. The results suggested both glucosamine had the considerable efficacy in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Three cases in study group and 2 in control group reported mild adverse events. No severe adverse events (SAE) was observed.

CONCLUSIONGlucosamine hydrochloride is as effective and safe as glucosamine sulfate for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Glucosamine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoarthritis, Hip ; drug therapy ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Opioids improve pain from knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) and decrease the functional impairment of patients. However, there is a possibility that opioids induce analgesia and suppress the physiological pain of OA in patients, thereby inducing the progression of OA changes in these patients. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the possibility of progressive changes in OA among patients using opioids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred knee or hip OA patients were evaluated in the current prospective, randomized, active-controlled study. Patients were randomized 1:1:1 into three parallel treatment groups: loxoprofen, tramadol/acetaminophen, and transdermal fentanyl groups. Medication was administered for 12 weeks. Pain scores and progressive OA changes on X-ray films were evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, pain relief was obtained by all three groups. Most patients did not show progressive OA changes; however, 3 patients in the transdermal fentanyl group showed progressive OA changes during the 12 weeks of treatment. These 3 patients used significantly higher doses than others in the transdermal fentanyl group. Additionally, the average pain score for these 3 patients was significantly lower than the average pain score for the other patients in the transdermal fentanyl group. CONCLUSION: Fentanyl may induce progressive changes in knee or hip OA during a relatively short period, compared with oral Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or tramadol.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Analgesics, Opioid/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Fentanyl/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Hip/*drug therapy/radiography ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/*drug therapy/radiography ; Pain/drug therapy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, the medicine application and to evaluate the disease activity in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in China. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Totally 1 066 cases of OA from 40 hospitals in China from April to October 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, medicine application, and joint function were evaluated. All the data were analyzed by SPSS software 19.0. t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In the 1 066 cases, the male-to-female ratio was 1:3.6 and the average age was (61.9±11.0) years, with an age range from 36 to 94 years. The incidence of knee OA, hip OA, and hand OA were respectively 81.9% (873/1 066), 14.1% (150/1 066), and 36.3% (387/1 066). In the study, 242 (22.7%) cases had two kinds of joint areas involved and three joint areas were involved in 51 cases (4.8%), and 56.6% (603/1 066) of the patients used more than one kind of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while 61.2% (652/1 066) used disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs), including glucosamine (37.5%, 400/1 066), chondroitin sulfate (2.0%, 21/1 066), diacetate (5.9%, 63/1 066), and the combination of these drugs (15.8%, 168/1 066). 8.6% (92/1 066) patients only took analgesics to relieve the pain, not using any kind of NSAIDs or DMOADs. And 232 patients (21.7%) had intra-articular injections, including 9.2% (98/1 066) sodium hyaluronate, 4.5%(48/1 066) glucocorticoid, and 8.1% (86/1 066) combination of the two drugs. The proportion of the patients taking topical drugs accounted for 26.5% (283/1 066) and physical therapy accounted for 15.8% (168/1 066). Compared with those who suffered from knee OA, the patients who suffered from hip OA had more severe disease assessment. Moreover, there were significant differences in pain (Z=-7.625, P<0.001), morning stiffness (Z=-6.229, P<0.001), and joint function (Z=-6.777, P<0.001) between the two groups of the patients who suffered from knee or hip OA with The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index. Furthermore, patients with hip OA took more analgesics (χ²=24.838, P<0.001). CONCLUSION Oral NSAIDs and DMOADs are wildly used in patients with OA in China. However, the treatment of some patients still need to be improved. Patients with hip OA are more seriously ill and require aggressive treatment.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Hip/drug therapy* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/drug therapy* ; Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data* ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Twenty-five dogs were included in a randomized, double-blind trial to assess the efficacy of doxycycline (DOX) orally administered twice a day at 4 mg/kg/day (n = 12) for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the hip. Chondroitin sulfate (CS; 525 mg/day) was used as a positive control (n = 13). Dogs were re-examined monthly for 6 months after initiation of treatment. The assessment protocol included clinical score, radiographic findings and serum osteoarthritis biomarkers. Dogs treated with DOX showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) in lameness, joint mobility, pain on palpation, weight-bearing and overall score at 2, 6, 4, 4 and 4 months, respectively, after treatment. Biomarker levels of CS-WF6 epitope and hyaluronan were significantly increased and decreased (p < 0.05) at 2 and 3 months after treatment compared to pretreatment. These results showed that DOX had a positive therapeutic effect in dogs with osteoarthritis.
Animals ; Biological Markers/blood ; Dog Diseases/*drug therapy ; Dogs ; Doxycycline/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Hyaluronic Acid/blood ; Joints/drug effects ; Lameness, Animal/drug therapy ; Male ; Osteoarthritis, Hip/drug therapy/*veterinary ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the differences of effect of electroacupuncture and medication on hip osteoarthritis.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. In electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied at Biguan (ST 31), Juliao (GB 29), Zuwuli (LR 10) and Yinlian (LR 11). In medication group, Diclofenac Sodium was prescribed for oral administration. One month after treatment, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Harris score were compared between two groups.

RESULTSVAS scores were 67.83 +/- 8.48 and 55.83 +/- 9.66 before and after treatment in electroacupuncture group, and were 68.67 +/- 8.09 and 61.50 +/- 7.78 in medication group separately. VAS pain scores after treatment were reduced remarkably in two groups (both P < 0.001), but the score was reduced much more remarkably in electroacupuncture group as compared with medication group. In electroacupuncture group, after treatment, Harris total score, the single scores of joint pain, function and motion range increased apparently as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.001). In medication group, after treatment, Harris total score and pain score increased remarkably as compared with those before treatment (both P < 0.001). Harris total score, pain score and function score after treatment in electroacupuncture group increased much more remarkably as compared with those in medication group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture can treat effectively hip osteoarthritis, relieve joint pain and improve joint function. The efficacy of it is superior to that of oral administration of Diclofenac Sodium.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Diclofenac ; therapeutic use ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Hip ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Pain Management ; Treatment Outcome