Effects of Glucosamine on Joint Fluid in Osteoarthritis Patients

June 28, 2016 updated by: University of British Columbia

Investigation of Oral Glucosamine Effects on Synovial Fluid Viscosity and Viscoelasticity in Osteoarthritis Patients

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease associated with aging. Although many patients take glucosamine supplements as a non-traditional treatment for osteoarthritis, the effectiveness of these supplements is questionable. This study will evaluate glucosamine therapy by directly analyzing two functions of joint fluid that are impaired by osteoarthritis - namely, the abilities to lubricate the joint and absorb shocks during activity. Joint fluid samples will be collected from subjects with knee osteoarthritis and analyzed on a device that simulates typical joint movements. After 3 months of glucosamine supplementation, samples will be collected again to detect potential improvements in joint fluid function.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background:

The effectiveness of glucosamine sulphate as a treatment for OA is still under debate. Most clinical trials evaluate the effectiveness of OA treatments by self-administered questionnaires about joint pain, stiffness and function (Lequesne Algofunctional Index, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index - WOMAC).

Although OA has been shown to reduce the viscosity and viscoelasticity of synovial fluid, few studies have used these properties as objective outcome measures in the assessment of glucosamine therapy.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether glucosamine sulphate oral supplements improve the viscous and viscoelastic properties of synovial fluid in osteoarthritis patients and to explore potential correlations between these properties and subjective assessments of joint pain and function.

Research Method:

Patients will be invited to participate in the study if they have been recommended for synovial fluid aspiration to relieve joint discomfort caused by effusion. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive either 1500mg of glucosamine sulphate or a placebo daily for 3 months. To relieve pain, subjects will be allowed to take up to 4000 mg of acetaminophen per day. If this is insufficient, NSAIDS will be permitted up to a maximum period of 5 consecutive days. Subjects will be asked to keep a log of their analgesics consumption.

At the baseline visit, patient demographics will be recorded and subjects will be asked to complete the WOMAC index questionnaire, which includes 24 questions to evaluate joint pain, stiffness and physical function. After noting the degree of joint effusion (minor, moderate, severe), an experienced physician will aspirate synovial fluid from the study knee to relieve joint pressure. A sample will be collected for analysis of viscosity and viscoelasticity.

Followup visits will be scheduled after every 4 weeks over the 3-month study period. Each visit will include the completion of a WOMAC questionnaire, clinical assessment of the degree of joint effusion and aspiration of synovial fluid (as necessary) for characterization. Any adverse events (such as headaches, abdominal pain, allergic episodes) will also be reported to the physician.

Changes in synovial fluid viscosity and viscoelasticity will be determined after 3 months of glucosamine supplementation and compared to the placebo group. Correlations between synovial fluid properties and WOMAC scores will also be described.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

20

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

  • Canada
    • British Columbia
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9
        • OASIS Vancouver Clinic, Gordon & Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z3
        • University of British Columbia Health Clinic

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

30 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • are between 30 and 85 years of age
  • are clinically diagnosed with moderate to severe knee OA
  • are recommended for synovial fluid aspiration

Exclusion Criteria:

  • are clinically diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis
  • had previous joint surgery in the study knee
  • had injection in the study knee within the past 12 months
  • have taken glucosamine and/or chondroitin supplements within the past 3 months

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: 1
Glucosamine sulphate tablets
Dietary supplement: Glucosamine sulphate
750mg glucosamine sulphate (oral tablets), twice per day for 3 months
Placebo Comparator: 2
Placebo tablets
Other: Placebo
Placebo tablets, twice per day for 3 months

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Changes in synovial fluid viscosity and viscoelasticity compared to baseline
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total score
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of British Columbia

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ezra Kwok, Dr, University of British Columbia
  • Study Director: Dana Grecov, Dr., University of British Columbia
  • Study Director: Christie Newton, Dr., University of British Columbia

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

June 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

June 1, 2017

Study Completion (Anticipated)

June 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 22, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 23, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

February 24, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 29, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 28, 2016

Last Verified

June 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • H10-00146

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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