Is Pulsed Ultrasound Treatment Effective in Knee Osteoarthritis

March 1, 2020 updated by: Banu Dilek, Dokuz Eylul University

Assessing the Effects of Pulsed Ultrasound Treatment on Pain, Functionality, Synovial Fluid and Cartilage Thickness, in Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a progressive rheumatic disease which is the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain and functional impairment, particularly in the elderly group. The most common form is knee osteoarthritis. Pharmacological, non-pharmacological and if required surgical treatment may be applied in the osteoarthritis treatment. Non-pharmacological treatment includes patient education, joint protective measures, exercise, psychological support, diet, weight loss, physical therapy modalities, use of assistive device, hydrotherapy and balneotherapy. Ultrasound therapy is one of the most commonly used physical modalities in osteoarthritis treatment. İt has a deep heating effect and increases tissue regeneration, blood flow and metabolic effects while reducing the inflammation and relaxing the muscles. İn addition, it increases the cartilage regeneration according to certain in vivo and in vitro studies.

Decelerating the cartilage loss and decreasing the high volume of synovial fluid in early-stage knee osteoarthritis is important to preventing progression of the disease. Although there are some randomised controlled clinical trials that prove the effect of ultrasound treatment on pain and functionality in the knee osteoarthritis, there is no study that proves the effect of ultrasound treatment on cartilage thickness and synovial fluid amount. The aim of this study is evaluating the effect of pulsed ultrasound treatment on cartilage regeneration, inflammation and quality of life in the volunteers diagnosed knee osteoarthritis. This study is unique because it is the first study that evaluates the effect of therapeutic pulsed ultrasound on synovial fluid and cartilage thickness with ultrasonography.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The study is a randomised, controlled and parallel group study. 96 patients will be included to study who apply to Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic with the complaint of knee pain, aged between 45-75 years. Patients also have diagnosed as knee osteoarthritis according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) diagnostic criteria and Kellgren-Lawrence grades are ≤3. These patients will be divided into two groups randomly (Treatment group n:48, control group n:48). The patients in the treatment group will receive treatment with 1 MHz probe with the intensity of 1w/cm2, pulsed at a ratio of 1:4 for 10 minutes and at an interval of 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks, a total of 24 sessions. On the other hand, sham US will be applied to control group for the same times and periods as the treatment group. A home exercise program will be given to both of two groups which contain knee range of motion and isometric strengthening exercises. The patients will be allowed to take paracetamol only when they complain of pain. All patients will be evaluated for 3 times, before and after treatment and 3 months after the treatment with ultrasonographic measurements and life quality tests. Primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of pulsed ultrasound on amount of synovial fluid and cartilage thickness.

For this purpose, cartilage thickness and reduction in the amount of synovial fluid will be measured via ultrasound.

Secondary aim is evaluating the effect of pulsed ultrasound on quality of life. Knee pain will be measured by VAS (Visual analogue scale) and functionality will be measured by WOMAC survey and Timed Up and Go Test.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

96

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Izmir, Turkey, 35340
        • Dokuz Eylül University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

45 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Complain of knee pain
  • Aged between 45-75 years
  • Diagnosed as knee osteoarthritis according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) diagnostic criteria and Kellgren-Lawrence grades are ≤3

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Infection
  • Arthritis
  • Using corticosteroids
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Neurological deficit
  • History of knee surgery
  • Central and peripheral nerve diseases
  • Pregnancy
  • Malignancy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Treatment Group
pulsed ultrasound treatment
Patients will receive treatment with 1 MHz probe with the intensity of 1w/cm2, pulsed at a ratio of 1:4 for 10 minutes and at an interval of 3 sessions per week during 8 weeks, a total of 24 sessions.
Placebo Comparator: Control Group
sham ultrasound treatment
Sham US will be applied to control group for the same times and periods as treatment group. A home exercise program will be given to both of two groups which contains knee range of motion and isometric strengthening exercises.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Amount of synovial fluid
Time Frame: Change from Baseline Amount of synovial fluid at 12 weeks
The amount of synovial fluid will be measured via ultrasonography in knee
Change from Baseline Amount of synovial fluid at 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Knee Pain: VAS
Time Frame: All patients will be evaluated for 3 times, at baseline and week 8 and week 12.
Knee pain will be assessed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS 0-10 cm). Higher values will consider to be worse outcome.
All patients will be evaluated for 3 times, at baseline and week 8 and week 12.
Function
Time Frame: All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12
Functionally will be assessed with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) . WOMAC subscores for pain, joint stiffness and daily living activities were calculated separately with likert scale (1 (best) -5 (worst)). Higher values will consider to be worse outcome.
All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12
time up and go
Time Frame: All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12
Functionally will be assessed with time up and go. 3 meters. The patient starts in a seated position.The patient stands up upon therapist's command walks 3 meters, turns around, walks back to the chair and sits down.The time stops when the patient is seated.Higher values will consider to be worse outcome
All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12
cartilage thickness in knee
Time Frame: All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12
cartilage thickness will be measured via ultrasonography in knee
All patients will be evaluated for 3 times at baseline and week 8 and week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Banu Dilek, MD, Dokuz Eylül University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 15, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 15, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

March 15, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 24, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 12, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

October 15, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 3, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 1, 2020

Last Verified

March 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • DorkuzEUAli

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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