Osteoarthritis and cartilage
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Osteoarthr. Cartil. · Sep 2013
Review Meta AnalysisEfficacy of low frequency pulsed subsensory threshold electrical stimulation vs placebo on pain and physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis: systematic review with meta-analysis.
To determine if low frequency (≤100 Hz) pulsed subsensory threshold electrical stimulation produced either through pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) or pulsed electrical stimulation (PES) vs sham PEMF/PES intervention is effective in improving pain and physical function at treatment completion in adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA) blinded to treatment. ⋯ Current evidence of low and very low quality suggests that low frequency (≤100 Hz) pulsed subsensory threshold electrical stimulation produced either through PEMF/PES vs sham PEMF/PES is effective in improving physical function but not pain intensity at treatment completion in adults with knee OA blinded to treatment. Methodologically rigorous and adequately powered RCTs are needed to confirm the findings of this review.
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Osteoarthr. Cartil. · Sep 2013
Review Meta AnalysisAcupuncture and other physical treatments for the relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: network meta-analysis.
To compare the effectiveness of acupuncture with other relevant physical treatments for alleviating pain due to knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ As a summary of the current available research, the network meta-analysis results indicate that acupuncture can be considered as one of the more effective physical treatments for alleviating osteoarthritis knee pain in the short-term. However, much of the evidence in this area of research is of poor quality, meaning there is uncertainty about the efficacy of many physical treatments.
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Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a key regulator of nociceptive pain and thus appears to be an interesting target molecule for an innovative class of analgesic medication. We set out to review the principles of neurogenic inflammation and results of anti-NGF regimens in animal studies as well as clinical trials with patients with back pain and osteoarthritis (OA). ⋯ Anti-NGF agents either alone or in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) were more efficacious for the treatment of pain in a number of trials of knee and hip pain compared to NSAIDs alone. However, adverse effects that included rapidly progressive OA and joint replacement were more common in patients treated with anti-NGF and NSAIDs than either treatment alone. Anti-NGF treatment related neurologic symptoms including paresthesias, and potentially other types of adverse effects were usually transient but warrant additional investigation.