Chondroitin Sulfate Aids Knee Osteoarthritis
Lee Swanson Research Update
The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed on 69 patients with knee osteoarthritis with clinical signs of synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane). Subjects were randomized to receive 800 mg of a "highly purified, pharmaceutical-grade" chondroitin sulfate or placebo, once daily, for six months. After six months, both the intervention and placebo groups were then given the 800 mg chondroitin dose once daily for another six months. Cartilage volume and bone marrow lesions were assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) at baseline, six months and 12 months. Synovial membrane thickness was assessed at baseline and at six months.
Researchers said the chondroitin sulfate group showed significantly less cartilage volume loss than the placebo group as early as six months, in the global knee, lateral compartment and tibial plateaus. These effects were still significant at 12 months. The chondroitin sulfate group also showed significantly lower bone marrow lesion scores at 12 months, in the lateral compartment and the lateral femoral condyle.
The researchers noted that this is the first time qMRI was used to show the disease-modifying effects of chondroitin sulfate.
Jean-Pierre Pelletier, MD, who led the group of Canadian researchers for the Annals of the Rheumatic Disease study said, "This is an important finding, as a decrease in the rate of progression of cartilage loss in knee osteoarthritis patients, as seen by MRI, could potentially reduce the need for total knee replacement—a phenomenon that has been observed in other MRI clinical studies."
He also noted, "It is important that patients are provided with highly purified pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate, the one used in this study, as this is the only one that can guarantee such efficacy and safety results."
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases; Published online ahead of print.
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- http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/articles/joint-health/chondroitin-sulfate-aids-knee-osteoarthritis.html?SourceCode=INTHIR413
May, 2011