3 RCTs with CS in knee OA: 462 pts., mo. 800 mg for 1 yr; 800 mg daily and continuously for 12 and 24 months. 2 RCTs with CS in finger joint OA: 284 pts., mg CS for 3 yrs. CS decreased the number of pts. with new erosive OA finger joints.
CS influences the symptoms of OA such as pain and inflammation, but also acts as a structure-modifying drug in OA (SMOAD). CS may retard OA progression and could modify the course of OA.
2 RCTs with GlcN·S + 4 RCTs with CS (800 mg daily) in OA: 1502 pts. CS: Small, but significant protective effect on minimum joint space narrowing after 2 years ().
CS may delay radiological progression of OA of the knee after daily administration for over 2 years.
3 RCTs with CS in knee OA: Small significant effect on the reduction in rate of decline in minimum joint space width of 0.07 mm/year. The effect size is 0.26 ().
CS is effective for reducing the rate of decline in minimum joint space width in OA of the knee; CS may have a role as a structure-modifying agent in the management of patients with knee OA.
(b)
Author(s), year
CS/Dose
Duration
Pts. ()
Outcome measure
Results and conclusion
Kahan et al. 2009 (STOPP: Study on Osteoarthritis Progression Prevention) [42]
CS/800 mg
2 yrs
622 (knee OA) CS: 309
X-ray images, tibiofemoral joint: joint space narrowing
Progression of joint space narrowing was significantly reduced versus plac. (28% CS pts. versus 41% Plac. pts. showed progressive joint space narrowing, ) Combined structure- and symptom-modifying effects of CS suggest that it could be a disease-modifying agent in patients with knee OA.
X-ray images, tibiofemoral joint: joint space narrowing
CS: no significant joint space loss, versus Plac. Plac.: significant joint space narrowing ( versus baseline) CS: no significant symptomatic effect, but halts structural changes in OA for over 2 yrs.
