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People often take glucosamine for relief of osteoarthritis (OA) — especially of the knee and hip — and for other musculoskeletal pain, often without their physicians' knowledge and despite inconsistent evidence of its benefit. Now, Norwegian investigators have evaluated glucosamine in 250 patients (mean age, 49) with chronic low back pain of at least 6 months' duration and magnetic resonance imaging–documented degenerative lumbar OA; patients were randomized to glucosamine sulfate (500 mg, 3 times daily) or to placebo for 6 months.
Patients were assessed at baseline, at 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, and 12 months with validated pain, disability, and quality-of-life measures. Participants were allowed to pursue usual pharmacologic and nonpharmacologi…