Multi-center Clinical Research of Acupuncture Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Multi-center Clinical Research of Acupuncture Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a major public health problem among the elderly and is associated with considerable disability. A recent analysis of data indicated that about 35% of women and men aged 60 years and above had radiographic knee OA.Despite the high prevalence rate of OA, the treatment of OA is far from satisfactory. Acupuncture may be a promising treatment option for knee OA due to the effectiveness of the pain relief and the rarity of adverse effects. In order to get some more reliable data to confirm acupuncture effectiveness on KOA, a long-term follow up interventional study will be started to confirm the effects of long term for acupuncture treatment.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a major public health problem among the elderly and is associated with considerable disability. A recent analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III indicated that about 35% of women and men aged 60 years and above had radiographic knee OA. Although the cause of OA can be many factors, such as previous injury, abnormal limb development and so on, its main symptom is a complex chronic pain condition. Previous studies have demonstrated central sensitization in OA patients. Despite the high prevalence rate of OA, the treatment of OA is far from satisfactory. Acupuncture could be a promising treatment option for knee OA due to the effectiveness of the pain relief and the rarity of adverse effects. In order to get some more reliable data to confirm acupuncture effectiveness on KOA, a long-term follow up interventional study with clear design, standard criteria, control group, will be started to confirm the effects of long term for acupuncture treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female patients who have knee OA diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria (with at least one osteophyte in the tibiofemoral joint and with a Kellgren-Lawrence grade of more than 2).
• Male and female patients who have had a history of moderate or greater knee pain of more than 3 months' duration and have reported moderate or greater, clinically significant, knee pain during most days of the last month before the interview.
• Male and female patients who have given their consent to participate in the study.
• Patients will be selected among those who are not on the waiting list for total knee arthroplasty by the traumatology unit of our hospital.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with any of the following will be excluded from the study: a history of any secondary OA associated with any systemic arthropathy (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis or gouty arthritis);
• Any knee treatment with steroids, methotrexate, or azathioprine; recent traumatisms caused by acupunctured insertion;
• A history of bleeding disorders or any disease related to acupuncture contraindications;
• A history of any knee injection in the previous 6 months (e.g., cortisone and hyaluronic acid); a history of morphine or morphine derivative use.