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Glucosamine provided no structural benefits for chronic knee pain
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Patients with chronic knee pain did not experience structural benefits from glucosamine supplementation in a recent study.
Researchers conducted a double blind study of 201 patients with mild to moderate pain in one or both knees typical of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with a Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) pain score ≥25 and ≤100. Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2 in at least one knee were experienced by 69.2% of patients. Participants randomly received 1,500 mg glucosamine or placebo in bottled diet lemonade for 24 weeks.
Investigators used a validated WORMS (Whole Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score) scoring system and 3T MRI to assess any decreased worsening of cartilage damage for a primary outcome. Bone marrow lesion (BML) changes and urinary CTX-II excretion were secondary endpoints.
Patients treated with glucosamine had an adjusted odds ratio for decreased cartilage damage of 0.938 (95% CI, 0.528-1.666). Patients treated with placebo displayed more improvements in BMLs (aOR=0.537; 95% CI, 0.291-0.99) but no change in worsening BMLs (aOR=0.691; 95% CI, 0.41-1.166). Decreased urine CTX-II excretion was not indicated with glucosamine (beta=–0.10; 95% CI, –0.21 to 0.002).
“The results of our study suggest that administration of glucosamine hydrochloride in a beverage for 24 weeks is not associated with less deterioration in knee cartilage damage, less worsening of BMLs, improvement and BMLs in the knee, decreased urinary excretion of CTX-II, and/or decreased pain and functioning in individuals from the community with chronic knee pain.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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