Health
News
|
| Topic |
What
are the effects of Glucosamine and Chondroitin on pain originating from
osteoarthritis of the knee? |
| Source |
MedPage
Today from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine authored by
Peggy Peck, reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, and based on research
published in the New England Journal of Medicine ("Glucosamine,
Chondroitin Sulfate, and the Two in Combination for Painful Knee
Osteoarthritis" by DO Clegg, and "Nutritional Supplements for
Knee Osteoarthritis-Still No Resolution" by MC Hochberg). |
| Current
Research findings |
The GAIT study
by Clegg compared 1500 mg of glucosamine to 1200 mg of chondroitin,
glucosamine and chondroitin, 200 mg of Celebrex, and a placebo over the
course of 24 weeks. All patients demonstrated improvement, but the
differences between the groups in across all severity levels was not
significant. Where the major differences lay were in the moderate to
severe pain patients where there glucosamine and chondroitin significantly
outperformed Celebrex and the treatment groups that received only
glucosamine or chondroitin. There were also significant differences
in the improvement of disability scores of the glucosamine and chondroitin
groups over the Celebrex group.
There were very high drop out rates in the placebo and glucosamine or
chondroitin alone groups, and a significant improvement even in the
placebo group regarding pain and disability. |
| Summary
Opinion of Dr Marc Hochenberg |
Marc Hochenberg
M.D. M.P.H. of the Universtiy of Maryland in Baltimore summarized the
findings as follows: patients who want to take supplements should take
glucosamine sulfate and for those with severe pain, taking chondroitin
sulfate with glucosamine sulfate may have an additive effect.
Finally, he said that if no benefit is evident after three months of
treatment, the supplements should be stopped. |
| NOTE:
The information contained above is based upon research published in the
New England Journal of Medicine and opinions of published authors in that
journal. For the source article of the above information
please go to MedPage
Today.
For further information, please refer to the original article utilizing
the publication information provided. May 31, 2006 |
