Loading...
In randomized trials, chondroitin sulfate has not been much more effective than placebo for patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis (JW Gen Med Oct 7 2010). Now, Swiss researchers have examined whether chondroitin relieves pain in hand osteoarthritis; they randomized 162 patients with symptomatic and radiographically documented osteoarthritis of multiple hand joints to receive either chondroitin sulfate (800 mg daily) or placebo.
At 6 months, the mean reduction in pain on a 100-mm visual analog scale (mean baseline score, 54 mm) was 20 mm in the chondroitin group versus 11 mm in the placebo group — a significant difference. Improvement in a hand function score was also significantly greater with chondroitin than with placebo. Grip strength …