Key takeaways:
- Metformin yielded reductions in knee ache related to OA vs. placebo.
- Sufferers with obese or weight problems who’re given metformin could possibly delay development to knee substitute.
Sufferers with knee osteoarthritis who acquired metformin demonstrated important reductions in knee ache and elevated weight reduction at 6 months vs. placebo, in accordance with information revealed in JAMA.
“For knee OA, remedies are restricted,” Flavia M. Cicuttini, PhD, head of rheumatology at Alfred Well being and head of the musculoskeletal unit at Monash College, in Melbourne, Australia, informed Healio. “Sufferers are suggested to shed pounds and train. That is what we ought to be advising sufferers, however most individuals who go to their doctor with knee OA say they’ve already tried these interventions unsuccessfully. Sufferers are searching for one thing extra.”
In line with Cicuttini, curiosity in metformin has grown all through the final decade as it might maintain the potential for sudden well being advantages. She added metformin has
a number of actions within the physique, along with its efficacy in lowering glucose ranges in sufferers with diabetes.
“Major care physicians are very acquainted with metformin, which is a low-cost, protected medicine,” Cicuttini mentioned. “It might be supplied to sufferers along with different remedies, particularly bodily exercise and train, and it has the potential to delay knee replacements earlier than they’re completely wanted.”
To evaluate the influence of metformin on knee ache at 6 months amongst sufferers with knee osteoarthritis and obese or weight problems, Cicuttini and colleagues carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Working by way of telehealth as a consequence of restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers enrolled 107 members (imply age, 58.8 years), 54 of whom have been randomly assigned to remedy with as much as 2,000 mg of oral metformin every day, whereas 53 acquired a every day oral placebo. The general adherence price was 82%.
At 6 months, VAS ache scores (from 0 to 100) decreased 31.3 factors within the metformin group and 18.9 factors within the placebo group, in accordance with the researchers. As well as, the metformin group demonstrated a complete weight lack of 1.8 kg, whereas the placebo group had a complete weight lack of 1.2 kg. Nonetheless, Cicuttini mentioned the discount in knee ache was not as a consequence of sufferers’ weight reduction.
The commonest opposed occasions have been diarrhea and stomach discomfort in each teams. No severe opposed occasions have been reported, the researchers wrote.
“Metformin might be used ‘off label’ after discussions between sufferers and their physician, and it might be supplied merely and safely utilizing telehealth,” Cicuttini mentioned. “If sufferers on metformin can cut back knee ache and improve bodily exercise, then knee replacements can wait.”
For extra data
Flavia M. Cicuttini, PhD, will be reached at flavia.cicuttini@monash.edu.
Sources/Disclosures
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Disclosures:
Cicuttini experiences no related monetary disclosures. The authors report receiving funding from the Australian Nationwide Well being and Medical Analysis Council for the conduct of the examine. Please see the examine for all different authors’ related monetary disclosures.
