Glucosamine

Indication: Osteoarthritis

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2002;162:2113-2123

Research: Approximately 200 patients with knee osteoarthritis randomly received either 1500 mg of oral glucosamine sulphate daily or a placebo over a period of three years. To determine the progression of knee osteo­arthritis, researchers measured changes in radiographic minimum joint space width in the medial compartment of the tibiofemoral joint, and assessed symptoms using the algo-functional indexes of Lequesne and WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities).

Results: Researchers reported that the osteoarthritis in study participants was of mild to moderate severity at enrollment, with average joint space widths of slightly less than 4 mm and a Lequesne index score of less than nine points. With placebo use, there was progressive joint space narrowing after three years, of an average -.19 mm. Conversely, there was no average change with glucosamine sulphate use. Furthermore fewer patients treated with glucosamine sulphate experienced predefined severe narrowings. Disease symptoms im­proved modestly with placebo use but as much as 20-25% with glucosamine sulphate use, they found, with significant final differences on the Lequesne index and the WOMAC total index and pain, function and stiffness subscales.